White House criticizes Republicans, says "preventing default" is not a concession

The White House on Wednesday criticized Republicans and said averting default is the responsibility of every single member of Congress and that preventing such a situation is not a concession.

"We're talking about millions of jobs lost, devastated retirement accounts, and a recession," said White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.

Negotiators for President Joe Biden and top congressional Republican Kevin McCarthy reconvened at the White House earlier to try to strike a deal to raise the United States' $31.4 trillion debt ceiling and avoid a catastrophic default.