US president reiterates he's ‘prepared to work with Republicans’

ANKARA

The US president on Saturday said he is “prepared to work with Republicans” as he stated before the midterm elections.

“As I said after the midterms, I am prepared to work with Republicans when I can and voters made clear that they expect Republicans to be prepared to work with me as well,” said Joe Biden in a statement congratulating Republican Kevin McCarthy’s election as the US House speaker.

“Now that the leadership of the House of Representatives has been decided, it is time for that process to begin,” he added.

Biden said the US people expect their leaders to work together and put their benefit above everything else.

“As the last two years show, we can do profound things for the country when we do them together,” he said.

Overcoming holdouts from his own ranks, Republican leader Kevin McCarthy was sworn in as the House speaker early Saturday.

The Republican was elected on a historic 15th round of voting, in what became the longest contest in 164 years.

He fell one vote short on the 14th ballot, but in the 15th and final round, the tally was 216-212, while the Democrats voted for leader Hakeem Jeffries.