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6.36pm GMT
Jen Psaki reiterated that Joe Biden will speak to Canadian President Justin Trudeau today, and she announced the US president will also speak to Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador today.
The calls to the the presidents of the United States’ neighboring nations are Biden’s first official conversations with foreign leaders since taking office.
U.S. President Joseph Biden @POTUS and Mexican President @lopezobrador_ will hold a phone call Friday afternoon, Minister @m_ebrard confirms. The call was first reported by Mexican magazine @proceso
6.31pm GMT
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, has now taken over the briefing, and she opened by addressing the Senate confirmation of Lloyd Austin as defense secretary.
Psaki praised the confirmation of Austin, who is the first African American defense secretary in US history.