Biden news: Harris says US ‘not into regime change’ but won’t say whether she agrees Putin must go

Kate Bedingfield begins the press briefing by noting that the White House is celebrating Trans Day of Visibility, noting that transgender Americans, particularly children, continue to face unacceptably high levels of bullying and discrimination.

On Russia’s war in Ukraine, Ms Bedingfield says: “Today we announced additional sanctions on Russian technology companies that enabled Putin’s war of choice.”

She later adds: “We have seen incontrovertible evidence that this has been a strategic disaster for Russia.”

And further: “Putin himself has said these sanctions have imposed unprecedented costs on the Russian economy, And our role is to continue to strengthen Ukraine on the battlefield” [and] “to strengthen their hand at the negotiating table.”

President Joe Biden’s plan to release one million barrels of oil each day from US strategic petroleum reserves over the next six months have been described as a “small bandage on a gaping wound” by climate groups, who condemned oil companies’ greed for amassing vast profits while consumers are subjected to soaring gas prices.

Louise Boyle, senior climate correspondent for The Independent, reports.

Asked about whether the White House is trolling Vladimir Putin, Ms Bedingfield responds: “Those are your words not ours.”

The White House stands by Biden campaign statement that there was nothing unethical about his son Hunter’s dealings in Ukraine and China.

Ms Bedingfield spoke about on Republican senators asking President Biden to do more to help end the pandemic while refusing to vote for more funding.

“We hope that these senators will follow their own advice and provide resources for the global response, because now is the time to act,” she says.

For Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin to speak would “require significant demonstration from the Russians of serious de-escalation,” says Ms Bedingfield, “and we have not seen that.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki criticised four bills signed into law in Arizona and Oklahoma this week targeting transgender young people and restricting abortion care, among dozens of bills filed by Republican legislators this year aimed at LGBT+ Americans and abortion rights.

The Republican governors of both states signed bills into law banning transgender athletes from participating in women’s sports.

Ms Psaki called the measures “extreme and harmful”.

“These laws are unacceptable and we won’t stop fighting for justice and equality,” she said on Twitter.

Russian state TV has continued to air Fox News clips that align with Vladimir Putin’s spin on the invasion of Ukraine, most recently showing a Tucker Carlson interview with former Democratic US Representative Tulsi Gabbard, whom the Russian host introduced as “our friend”.

Josh Marcus reports.