White House: Biden Unaware of Hawaii Wildfire Question During ‘No Comment’ Response

Emel AkanAugust 25, 2023

President Biden Faces Criticism for “No Comment” Response to Hawaii Wildfires

President Joe⁤ Biden faced widespread criticism, particularly from Republicans, after responding “no ⁣comment” to a question about the rising death toll in Hawaii’s devastating wildfires. However, the White House later clarified that the president had not heard the question before giving‌ his response.

The deputy White House ‌press secretary, Olivia Dalton, explained that President Biden’s “no comment” was not in reference to ‍the Hawaii ⁣wildfires, as initially reported by The New York Times.

“He didn’t⁤ hear the⁤ question,” Ms. Dalton stated. “He absolutely didn’t say ‘no comment’ in relation to Maui. And in fact, he had⁤ already spoken to the nation⁣ about Maui at that point, in addition to being in daily contact with senior staff, FEMA, and state officials as he marshaled a whole-of-government response to the fires.”

The Hawaiian wildfires, which began on August ‌8, are believed to be the deadliest in the United States in over a century. With a death toll surpassing 110 and approximately 1,000 people still missing, the situation remains dire.

On August 21, President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden visited ⁤Maui to‌ assess ‌the damage and meet with survivors and first‌ responders. During his visit, President Biden made a comparison between the Maui fires and a kitchen fire he experienced 15 years ago, which drew ‌further criticism.

“I don’t want to ‍compare difficulties, but⁣ we have a ⁢little ‌sense, Jill and I, of what it’s like to lose a home,” President Biden said, recounting his personal ‍experience. “To make a‍ long‍ story short, I almost lost my wife, my ’67 Corvette, and my cat.”

These comments sparked outrage, with Leslie Santos, a retired university administrator and native of Maui, expressing her offense at the comparison. “I’m not sure how anyone could compare the ‘almost loss’ ⁢of a Corvette to the ⁣loss of life, possessions, and livelihoods.⁣ I am offended,” she‌ told the Daily Signal.

Republican presidential candidate and Florida governor, Ron DeSantis, ⁣also ⁤criticized President Biden’s ⁣initial silence about the disaster, ⁤stating, “Biden was on the beach while those people were ⁤suffering; he was asked ⁤about it, and he said, ‘No comment.’ Are⁣ you⁢ kidding me?”

The response efforts of the Biden administration have faced scrutiny, with some communities in Hawaii questioning the efficacy of the measures taken. Despite this, the White House has defended its response and provided millions of dollars in assistance.