Republicans 'Pressing Pause' on Debt Limit Talks with Biden White House

Rep. Garret Graves (R-LA), who has been leading debt ceiling talks, said on Friday that Republicans would “pause” talks with the Biden White House on debt ceiling negotiations.

Graves said that Republicans would “press pause” on talks with the Biden White House, although it remains unclear how long they would like to pause negotiations.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) tapped Graves to serve as one of the leading negotiators with the Biden White House, which includes White House counselor Steve Richetti and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) director Shalanda Young.

The Louisiana Republican accused the Biden White House of not negotiating in good faith. Reporters noted that, until now, Graves has been mostly tight-lipped about negotiations.

“It’s just unreasonable. Until people are willing to have reasonable conversations about how you can actually move forward and do the right thing, then we’re not going to sit here and talk to ourselves,” he explained.

The snag in the negotiations over the looming debt ceiling deadline follows as President Joe Biden left for Japan for the G-7 world leader conference, leaving Vice President Kamala Harris to be briefed about the continuing debt ceiling talks.

“While Joe Biden has left the country, border czar Kamala Harris is now involved in debt ceiling negotiations despite presiding over the worst border crisis in history,” Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said in a written statement. “The Biden-Harris administration’s lack of leadership creates crisis after crisis, leaving American families to suffer the consequences, but they don’t care.”