U.S. President Joe Biden on Wednesday touched on the possibility of attending a Group of Seven summit in Hiroshima starting next week "virtually" depending on the course of his negotiations with congressional leaders on the debt ceiling.
When asked about the possibility of delaying his trip due to an impasse over raising or suspending the country's debt limit, Biden told reporters there would be no delay but he might "do it virtually or not go."
Biden's comments in a New York suburb came a day after talks with congressional leaders failed to produce a breakthrough. Following the negotiations, Biden had said he was "still committed" to the gathering in western Japan, "but obviously this is the single most important thing on the agenda," referring to the debt issue.
He also said Tuesday that canceling his trip to attend the three-day G-7 summit of major industrial nations from May 19 was "possible but not likely."
U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned last week that the government could run out of money as early as June 1 if Congress does not act "as soon as possible" to raise or suspend the $31.4 trillion limit.
Biden's latest remarks, which are likely to trigger some anxiety for Japan, the host of the summit, came hours after the White House downplayed the possibility of the president canceling his trip, suggesting that he can deal with important domestic issues even when not in the United States.
After Hiroshima, Biden is due to travel to Papua New Guinea, which will be the first visit by a sitting U.S. president to the Pacific country, and Australia.
In Sydney on May 24, the leaders of Australia, India, Japan and the United States are set to hold a summit of the so-called Quad group, with discussions of how to deal with China's increasing military and economic influence expected to top the agenda.
"The president is the president...wherever he is, wherever he travels," White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Air Force One.
She made the remarks after stressing that Biden has said he is "committed" to going to the summit of major industrial nations in Hiroshima despite the deadlock, and that averting the first-ever default by the federal government is "Congress's constitutional duty and obligation."
Biden is scheduled to hold another round of talks with House of Representatives Speaker Kevin McCarthy and other congressional leaders on Friday.
The spokeswoman, accompanying Biden on his way to Valhalla, New York, said, "We'll see where conversations go from there."
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