Jen Psaki insists Biden can celebrate Easter with his family because he is vaccinated but says it won't be with the 'big Irish clan' - after CDC urged Americans not to hold gatherings
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Joe Biden won't be hosting a 'big Irish clan' for Easter even though he's having family join him at Camp David despite the CDC warnings about holiday gatherings.
Biden told community and faith leaders on a call this week that he and first lady Jill Biden were looking forward to Easter with the family because the Biden clan has been vaccinated.
'Jill and I, we’re looking forward to our Easter celebration, where we get to get together with our family. And because we've had the great honor of being vaccinated, we may be able to get together with some of them this Easter,' he said.
The Bidens departed for Camp David on Friday at lunchtime. Jill Biden carried a bouquet of pink and yellow flowers.
Psaki wouldn't give details on who will be at Camp David with the first couple, how many Biden family members have been vaccinated, and on whether the president is sending a conflicting message by hosting a family gathering when he has urged Americans to hold off on such events until at least July 4th.
'I don't have a specific number of family members,' she said in response to questions from DailyMail.com at her briefing on Friday.
'But I can assure you that the president strives to be a role model in every aspect of how he's living in this difficult time we're all going through. He obviously has a wife, he's been married to for some time, he has a couple of grandkids who he sees when he goes to Delaware,' she noted. 'But it's a limited group and certainly not the big Irish Biden clan that many of you have seen throughout the course of his time in public office.'
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden departed the White House Friday afternoon to spend the Easter holiday weekend at Camp David with family
Naomi Biden frequently joins her grandparents at the White House and Camp David. In February she posted a video on social media of President Biden playing Mario Kart at Camp David.
The Bidens will spend the holiday weekend at the presidential retreat in the Maryland mountains. On Monday, President Biden will give a speech on Easter traditions at the White House. The traditional White House Easter Egg Roll was canceled because of the pandemic.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday that those who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely gather for Easter this Sunday, indoors and without wearing masks.
The agency also said those those who aren't fully vaccinated should enjoy Easter celebrations with the people they live with, or outdoors while six feet apart, in order to protect against spreading the coronavirus.
The United States has seen a spike in coronavirus cases, including in variants like the kind found in the United Kingdom.
Health experts have warned the United States could be on the brink of a fourth surge of the virus. Past experience has shown cases tend to spike after holidays.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Biden won't be hosting a 'big Irish clan' for Easter even though he's having family join him at Camp David
The Bidens boarding Marine One for their trip to Camp David, Jill Biden carried flowers
Biden, meanwhile, pleaded with Americans to 'keep their guard' in the homestretch as the vaccinations continue.
He reminded the public of his goal for all Americans to have a more normal July 4th but cautioned mask wearing and social distancing must continue for that to happen.
'If the American people continue to do their part, wearing masks, a practice of distancing, we could have a more normal July 4,' he said on Friday before he left for his Easter holiday. 'Cases are going up again. The virus is spreading more rapidly in many places. That's are going up in some states, so I ask, I plead with you: Don't give back the progress. We've also fought so hard to achieve need to finish this job. We ask every American to buckle down and keep their guard up in this home stretch. Wear your mask,' he said.
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