Biden: Putin is 'a rational actor who miscalculated' in Ukraine, Saudis will face 'consequences' for oil cuts

President Biden told CNN in a wide-ranging interview Tuesday that he doesn't believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is irrational enough to use tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine, suggested Saudi Arabia will face "consequences" for siding with Russia in OPEC+ oil production cuts, predicted the U.S. is heading for at worst a "very slight recession," and said he has "no intention" to meet with Putin at next month's G20 summit, unless it were to talk about something like releasing WNBA star Brittany Griner.
Biden also addressed reports that federal agents believe they have enough evidence to charge his son Hunter with tax violations and lying about drug use on a 2018 application to purchase a firearm. "This thing about a gun — I didn't know anything about it," Biden said, noting that his son has been open about his struggles with addiction. "So, I have great confidence in my son," he said. "I love him and he's on the straight and narrow, and he has been for a couple years now. And I'm just so proud of him."
Biden apparently relayed that message directly to Hunter Biden, too, according to leaked voicemails highlighted Monday by Fox News.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
On Russia, CNN's Jake Tapper asked Biden if he believes, as other world leaders and former U.S. officials speculate, Putin has become unhinged and irrational in recent years. Biden said Putin's expectations for what would happen when he invaded Ukraine were "irrational," but as for Putin, "I think he is a rational actor who miscalculated significantly."
Biden said he doesn't think Putin will use nuclear weapons in Ukraine, "but I think that it's irresponsible for him to talk about it" and "Armageddon" really is a slight possibility if something goes awry. "Once you use a nuclear weapon, the mistakes that can be made, the miscalculations," he said, and if things spin out of control, it "could end in Armageddon." Biden declined to say what the U.S. will do if Putin crosses a "red line" in Ukraine. "It would be irresponsible of me to talk about what we would or wouldn't do," he noted.
Biden also told Tapper he wouldn't get into specifics of how the U.S. will respond to Saudi Arabia's oil cut, but it is time to "rethink" America's relationship with its Saudi aillies. "There's going to be some consequences for what they've done with Russia," he said. Watch the full interview below.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Trump executive order targets homeless
Speed Read It will now be easier for states and cities to remove homeless people from the streets
-
Columbia pays $200M to settle with White House
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the school of failing to protect its Jewish students amid pro-Palestinian protests
-
Florida judge and DOJ make Epstein trouble for Trump
Speed Read The Trump administration's request to release grand jury transcripts from the Epstein investigation was denied
-
Trump attacks Obama as Epstein furor mounts
Speed Read The Trump administration accused the Obama administration of 'treasonous' behavior during the 2016 election
-
Trump administration releases MLK files
Speed Read Newly released documents on the 1968 assassination of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. did not hold any new revelations, King historians said
-
Japan's prime minister feels pressure after election losses
Speed Read Shigeru Ishiba has vowed to remain in office
-
President diagnosed with 'chronic venous insufficiency'
Speed Read The vein disorder has given Trump swollen ankles and visible bruising on his hands
-
'Bawdy' Trump letter supercharges Epstein scandal
Speed Read The Wall Street Journal published details of Trump's alleged birthday letter to Epstein