Biden Visits New Semiconductor Plant in Arizona, Defends Not Visiting Border

President Joe Biden visited the site of a new semiconductor plant in Arizona on Tuesday, and defended his decision not to visit the southern border during the trip.

For Context: Amid a global semiconductor shortage, Biden signed the $280 billion CHIPS and Science Act in August, which includes $52 billion in funding to boost domestic semiconductor manufacturing. On Tuesday, Biden toured a plant being completed by the Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., which announced that it’s investing a total of $40 billion in Arizona, including plans to build a second plant. Biden's decision not to visit the border during the trip sparked criticism from border-state conservatives as migrant encounters along the border maintaining record-high levels.

Key Quotes: Biden said optimism around the semiconductor project is "going to accelerate in the months ahead and it’s part of a broad story about the economy we’re building that works for everyone." When asked by a reporter why he'd visit a border state without visiting the border itself, Biden said "Because there are more important things going on. They are going to invest billions of dollars in a new enterprise in the state."

How the Media Covered It: Left- and center-rated news sources often focused on the semiconductor project's potential benefits. Conversely, right-rated outlets focused mostly on how Biden didn't visit the border during the trip. The New York Post said the lack of a visit came "despite the record-smashing surge of people illegally crossing into the US."