President Biden will hold a formal news conference on Wednesday, the White House said, as his legislative agenda has stalled, a surge in Covid-19 cases continues to test hospitals, and he faces a standoff with Russia.

Mr. Biden has held nine formal news conferences since taking office, three of those alongside visiting foreign leaders, according to The American Presidency Project. The president has also done few formal interviews with news organizations, including none with a national newspaper.

The White House says Mr. Biden often takes questions from reporters at the end of events, though exchanges can be brief. His approach has led to criticism from the White House Correspondents' Association, which has urged the administration to be more transparent.

Write to Emily Stephenson at emily.stephenson@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 14, 2022 13:08 ET (18:08 GMT)