What what?
The White House has changed its tune following backlash over President Biden’s “No Comment” response earlier this month to a question about the deadly wildfires on Maui.
White House deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton told the New York Times on Thursday that Biden, 80, “didn’t hear the question” as he got into a vehicle during his family vacation in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, on April 13. August.
“He absolutely did not say ‘No Comment’ in relation to Maui,” he told the outlet. “And in fact, he had already spoken to the nation about Maui at that point, as well as being in daily contact with senior staff, FEMA and state officials as he organized a whole-of-government response to the fires.”
The Times did not clarify which question the president believed he was responding to, nor did Dalton explain why Biden did not simply indicate that he had not heard the reporter’s question instead of giving a blanket response of “No comment.”
The Aug. 8 fire killed at least 115 people and left 850 missing, according to Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen.
The White House said Thursday that President Biden “did not hear” a question yelled at him by a reporter more than a week ago about the devastating wildfires that claimed American lives on Maui.AFP via Getty Images
“He did not say ‘no comment’ at all in relation to Maui,” a White House spokeswoman said. AFP via Getty Images
Strong winds from Hurricane Dora fanned the flames of what became the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century, which ripped through the resort town of Lahaina.
Critics called for Biden to issue a response in the days that followed, but he declined to comment publicly when first asked.
On August 15, two days after the “No comment” response, the president made his first comments on the disaster during a trip to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, though he neglected to mention the island by name.
On August 8, strong winds from Hurricane Dora fanned the flames of what became the deadliest US wildfire in more than a century, ripping through the resort town of Lahaina.AFP via Getty Images
“My wife Jill and I are going to Hawaii as soon as we can,” he said. “That’s what I’ve been talking to the governor about. I don’t want to get in the way. I’ve been to too many disaster zones. But I want to make sure we have everything they need. We want to make sure we don’t disrupt ongoing recovery efforts.”
Several Republican presidential candidates criticized Biden for appearing indifferent to the disaster as he basked in the sand and sun in his home state of Delaware.
“Saying ‘No comment’ many times is fine, but smiling when you say it, especially in the face of a tragedy like this, is absolutely horrible and unacceptable,” former President Donald Trump said in an August 14 video statement on Truth Social. .
“My wife Jill and I are going to go to Hawaii as soon as we can,” Biden said seven days after the fire broke out. AFP via Getty Images
“Biden was on the beach while those people were suffering. They asked him about it and he said, “No comment.” Are you kidding me?” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said at Wednesday’s Republican primary debate. “As someone who has handled disasters in Florida, you have to be activated. You have to be there. You have to be present. You have to help the people who are doing this.”
DeSantis, 44, declared a state of emergency last year to deal with Hurricane Ian, which struck Florida’s Gulf Coast in late September 2022, killing 130 people.
The president signed a disaster declaration and then visited the Sunshine State with first lady Jill Biden, DeSantis and the governor’s wife, Casey, as recovery efforts began.
“Saying ‘no comment’ a lot of times is fine, but smiling when you say it, especially in the face of a tragedy like this, is absolutely horrible and unacceptable,” Trump said of his opponent’s response in 2020. AFP via Getty Images
Biden left another vacation spot in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, on Monday to tour the devastation on Maui, where residents called for emergency help and hecklers held signs reading “No Comment.”
The oldest president in history is seeking re-election despite concerns about his age and mental acuity.
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Source: vtt.edu.vn