POLITICAL

Biden cracks jokes about college football during update on attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas

January, 03, 2025-04:29

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Biden cracks jokes about college football during update on attacks in New Orleans and Las Vegas

President Joe Biden commended the resilience of New Orleans following the ISIS-inspired terrorist attack on Bourbon Street and even made a light-hearted comment about the rescheduled Sugar Bowl on Thursday afternoon. At 81 years old, Biden provided an update on the investigation into the New Year's Eve rampage that tragically claimed 14 lives. This update was part of his remarks on confirming 235 judges to the bench during his tenure.

"New Orleans is a city of tremendous spirit. You can’t keep it down. You really can’t," Biden stated in the State Dining Room of the White House. "And we’re seeing that today, the Sugar Bowl is back on. Kickoff is going to take off very shortly," he noted. "If I don’t get this damned thing done, we’re going to be in real trouble," he quipped.

"People of New Orleans are sending an unmistakable message. They will not let this attack, the attacks, or the attackers’ deluded ideology overcome us," Biden said, minutes before the game began, following a spontaneous chant after the National Anthem. He stated that the government would "continue to relentlessly pursue ISIS and other terrorist organizations where they are," and assured that they would find no "safe harbor." Authorities reported that the attacker had an ISIS flag inside his electric Ford F-150 truck.

His remarks came after the FBI announced that, contrary to earlier information, investigators believe the attacker acted alone. "They have no information that anyone else is involved in the attack," Biden said. He said federal law enforcement and the Intelligence Community were investigating 'any foreign or domestic contact connection could possibly be relevant to the attack.

He said they would also probe any connection between the New Orleans attack and a Tesla CyberTracker that exploded outside the Trump Las Vegas hotel New Year's Day. 'As of now ... they have not found any evidence of such a connection,' Biden said. Authorities said Thursday the attacker, a decorated Army veteran, shot himself in the head before the explosion, and could have done even more damage. Biden was late for his first public event. He said he had assembled the entire defense and national security apparatus for a meeting and had been briefed by the FBI.