The United States is at an impasse over American debt, increasing the possibility of a default. To avoid such a scenario, Joe Biden said he was considering using the weapon of the Constitution.
US President Joe Biden said the Republicans’ proposals on Sunday were “unacceptable” in the context of tense negotiations on the US debt ceiling, as time was running out to prevent the United States from defaulting. To avoid such a scenario, he said he was considering resorting to the weapon of the constitution.
“I’m looking at the 14th Amendment,” Joe Biden said. This article of the US Constitution stipulates that “the validity of the United States’ public debt (…) shall not be called into question”, which theoretically makes it possible to circumvent the obligation to raise its ceiling. However, this interpretation is highly controversial among legal experts.
“Simply unacceptable”
Statements by Joe Biden, who was in Japan for the G7 summit, precede a phone call with Republican leader Kevin McCarthy on the US debt ceiling. So far, the negotiations between Democrats and Republicans have not been successful. According to the White House, they have even “taken a step backwards”, with both camps accusing each other of blocking the talks.
“It’s time the other side gave up their extreme positions, because a lot of what they’ve already offered is, quite frankly, just unacceptable,” said Joe Biden from the city of Hiroshima, where the G7 summit will be held takes place.
Joe Biden cut short his Asia-Pacific trip due to this debt crisis and returns to Washington on Sunday without passing through Japan and Australia as planned.
Without a deal, the United States could default by June 1, with potentially disastrous consequences for the American economy and even the world.