By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-02 22:46:43 | Updated at 2025-01-05 05:11:18
2 days ago
President Joe Biden praised the resilience of New Orleans after the ISIS-inspired terrorist attack on Bourbon Street - and cracked a joke about the rescheduled Sugar Bowl on Thursday afternoon.
The 81-year-old gave an update on the investigation into the rampage that killed 14 people on New Year's Eve at the start of remarks about 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 said 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 following the National Anthem.
He said the government would 'continue to relentlessly pursue ISIS and other terrorist organizations where they are,' and said they would find no 'safe harbor.' Authorities say the attacker had an ISIS flag inside his electric Ford F-150 truck.
His remarks came after the FBI announced that contrary to some earlier information, investigators believe the attacker acted alone.
'They have no information that anyone else is involved in the attack,' Biden said.
President Joe Biden provided an update on the investigation into the terror attack in New Orleans. He cracked a joke about not extending his remarks into the rescheduled Sugar Bowl
He said federal law enforcement and the Intelligence Community were investigating 'any foreign or domestic contact [or] connection [that] could possibly be relevant to the attack.
He said they would also probe any connection between the New Orleans attack and a Tesla Cybertruck 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.
Biden joked with longtime friend and former colleague Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) at the event
Security personnel stand guard outside the Caesars Superdome before the 2025 Sugar Bowl after the deadly truck rampage in New Orleans
The barricade where a truck hit and drove past and into a crowd on New Year's Day is off to the side on Bourbon Street, Thursday, Jan. 2, 2025 in New Orleans
He also delivered a message that aired on ESPN at the start of its coverage of the matchup between Georgia and Notre Dame.
'Today, all America stands for people of New Orleans we pray for those killed and injured in yesterday's attack. We're grateful – we're grateful to those brave first responders who raced the same lives,' Biden said, speaking to the camera from the White House.
'We're glad the game is back on for today. But I'm not surprised, because the spirit of New Orleans can never be kept down. And that's also true of the spirit of America. Just remember who we are. We're the United States of America. There's nothing, nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together. God bless New Orleans and God protect our troops,' he said.
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