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The US president’s remarks have caused an uproar on social media, with some describing them as “disgusting”
Outgoing US President Joe Biden has found himself in hot water after making what many considered to be an insensitive “fiery” joke as California struggles to contain devastating wildfires.
The series of infernos broke out in Los Angeles County earlier this week, killing at least 10 people so far and forcing 180,000 to flee their homes. The disaster swept through some of the most affluent areas, destroying some 10,000 homes and other structures, including the residences of several prominent Hollywood stars.
Controversy erupted on Thursday as Biden spoke at a briefing on the federal response to the wildfires. When he turned the floor over to his California-born vice president, he said: “Madam Vice President, I know you’re directly affected. So you fire away, no pun intended.” Biden was apparently referring to the evacuation of the vice president’s home in Brentwood, Los Angeles, which has been threatened by the spreading flames.
Harris gave Biden what appeared to be a questioning look before smiling and continuing with her remarks.
Biden’s quip, however, caused a backlash on social media, with some users describing it as “disgusting,” ”tone deaf” and further evidence of the 82-year-old president’s unfitness to remain in office. Commenting on the controversy, Townhall.com columnist Derek Hunter noted that “most of the time, Joe Biden is just a mean, vindictive person (has been his whole career), but in this case I think this can be blamed on his senility.”
The US president faced similar criticism in 2023 when he visited the island of Maui in Hawaii, also devasted by wildfires that killed more than 100 people. As he was petting a search dog, he took note of the boots it was wearing. “You guys catch the boots out here?” he said at the time, adding with a smile: “That’s some hot ground, man.”