(7 Jul 2022)
FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4387647
++SOUNDBITES SEPARATED BY WHITE FLASHES++
US NETWORK POOL via ABC NEWS VIDEOSOURCE - STRICTLY NO ARCHIVE RESALE/AUTHORIZED RE-USE BY AP’S BROADCAST AND DIGITAL OUTPUT ONLY
Washington - 7 July 2022
1. Wide of White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre walking into briefing room
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary:
"So I'll say this our alliance with the United Kingdom continues to be strong. Our special relationship with the people in the country will continue to endure. None of that changes. And I will remind you, a week ago, just a week ago today, when the president was in NATO in Madrid for a historic NATO summit, as you heard him speak at the press conference and you saw what happened. You saw a reassurance, a real affirmation of NATO countries saying, again, what they are going to continue to do, continue to support Ukraine in their effort to defend their democracy against Putin's brutal war. And so that is not going to change."
++WHITE FLASH++
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary:
"We believe that the Russian Federation is holding, is wrongfully, has wrongfully detained Brittney Griner, and she is in intolerable circumstances right now. And we are going to do everything that we can. The president has this top of mind to make sure that we get Brittney home safely, and also Paul Whelan. That is an important priority of the president, and he you know, we've been clear from day one when it comes to U.S. nationals who are being held abroad, who are being held wrongfully, detained wrongfully, who have been held hostage, we are going to do everything that we can, use every means that we have to bring them home."
++WHITE FLASH++
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary:
"We will not relent until Brittney, Paul Whelan and all, and all other wrongfully detained Americans are reunited with their loved ones. And that is the focus of the Secretary of State, that's the focus of the president's national national security team and his focus as well."
++ENDS ON SOUNDBITE++
STORYLINE:
The White House on Thursday said Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s announcement that he would step down as the UK’s head of government will not put a damper on the close relationship between Washington and London.
Speaking to reporters in Washington, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the U.S. alliance with the United Kingdom "continues to be strong" and their special relationship will endure.
Johnson announced his resignation Thursday after droves of top government officials quit over the latest scandal to engulf him, marking an end to three tumultuous years in which he tried to brazen out one ethical lapse after another with a combination of charm, bluster and denial.
Months of defiance ended almost with a shrug as Johnson stood outside No. 10 Downing St. and conceded that his party wanted him gone.
On the detention of the American basketball star Brittney Griner and other Americans by Russian authorities, the White House spokesperson said the Biden administration "will not relent until all wrongfully detained Americans are reunited with their loved ones."
Griner pleaded guilty Thursday to drug possession charges on the second day of her trial in a Russian court in a case that could see her sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
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