President Joe Biden arrived in Japan on Thursday for a shortened trip to the G-7 summit as the June 1 debt ceiling deadline looms back at home.
Before he left Washington, President Biden said he’s confident he’ll reach a deal with Republicans in time to avoid a catastrophic default.
“I’m confident that we’ll get agreement on the budget and America will not default,” he said earlier this week.
Biden will now spend just four days instead of the planned eight days overseas in Asia as he works to bolster support from U.S. allies during the annual G-7 summit.
After arriving in Japan, the president met with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida who told Biden that the relationship between the two countries is a cornerstone of peace in the Indo-Pacific region.
“When our countries stand together, we stand stronger,” Biden said at the bilateral meeting with Kishida Thursday.
This year’s G-7 is being held in Hiroshima, which was the target of the first nuclear bomb dropped by the U.S. in August of 1945 during World War II. It’s a setting that carries renewed gravity as the two leaders affirmed their continued commitment to supporting Ukraine as it defends itself from Russia’s invasion, and also discussed growing security threats from North Korea and China.
Biden originally planned to visit with Australia and Papua New Guinea’s leaders, as well, while overseas, but those trips have been postponed due to the ongoing debt ceiling drama back home.
The president is reportedly negotiating with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) and preparing to agree to some spending cuts which are concerning Democrats as the deadline to make a deal quickly approaches.
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