Psaki Declines Setting Date for Solo Biden Press Conference Amid Mounting Pressure

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Wednesday declined to outline when President Joe Biden will hold his first solo press conference, despite mounting pressure and calls for him to do so. More than 40 days into his presidency, Biden has come under increasing media spotlight for not holding a traditional open news conference—the longest stretch of any president over the last century. In contrast, his 15 predecessors held solo press briefings within 33 days of their respective presidencies. Former president Donald Trump took questions after 27 days in office, while Barack Obama held a formal press conference 20 days into his first term. While Biden since Jan. 20 has held 38 “short question-and-answer” sessions with reporters, according to Martha Joynt Kumar, director of the White House Transition Project, his answers on a wide range of issues have so far been brief. Biden came under fire on Wednesday at a …