Biden ‘Praying’ for Maui Blaze Victims, White House Says—Amid Backlash From Earlier ‘No Comment’

Destroyed homes and cars are shown in Lahaina, Hawaii, on Aug. 13, 2023. Rick Bowmer/AP Photo

The White House said on Aug. 14 that President Joe Biden is “praying” for the victims of the devastating wildfires in Hawaii after his earlier statement that he had “no comment.”

The deadly fires broke out on Aug. 8, just a few days after the National Weather Service warned that winds from Hurricane Dora, combined with drought, were likely to produce conditions conducive to wildfires.

The ensuing inferno leveled the resort town of Lahaina, claiming at least 96 lives to become the nation’s deadliest wildfire in more than a century.

“I want to once again say, as the president said last week, that he and the First Lady are praying for families who are grieving their loved ones and for everyone who has suffered devastating losses of land and property as a result of the wildfires in Maui,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at an afternoon press briefing.

“The president continues to stay closely engaged with his team and state and local officials to ensure a robust, whole-of-government response continues,” she added.

Ms. Jean-Pierre’s comments came hours after President Biden told reporters in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware—where he spent the weekend at his beach house—that he had “no comment” on the rising death toll in Maui.

That non-response ignited a different kind of firestorm as pundits and politicians criticized the president for his seeming indifference.

“One of the most beautiful places on Earth has been reduced to cinders. In Delaware: @JoeBiden can’t be bothered to care. Putting America First means getting this joker out of the White House,” wrote Arizona Republican Kari Lake in an X post.

Likewise, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), a former White House physician, slammed the president for spending his weekend on vacation.

“Joe Biden couldn’t be bothered to comment on the horrible tragedy in Hawaii. Too busy vacationing at the beach,” he wrote. “The tragic truth is he’s not the one running the country. He has no idea what’s going on. We deserve much better!”

Response Efforts

In spite of the backlash, Ms. Jean-Pierre stressed that the situation was “deeply concerning” to the president.

Noting that he had issued a major disaster declaration for Hawaii, she added that he had also remained in contact with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell over the weekend.

“There are already more than 300 FEMA employees on the ground aiding response efforts,” she said, noting that water and thousands of meals, blankets, and cots had been provided to those in need.

According to Ms. Criswell, FEMA has also activated its Transitional Sheltering Assistance program to temporarily house residents displaced by the fires in hotels and motels as they figure out their long-term plans.

“Nothing can prepare you for what I saw during my time here,” she said. “And nothing can prepare them for the emotional toll of the impact that this severe event has taken on them.”

As for the financial cost of the disaster, the administrator said it was “far too early to tell” and that emergency responders remain focused right now on rescue and recovery.

While the exact number of missing individuals is unclear, hundreds remain unaccounted for in the wake of the disaster.

As of yet, President Biden has not visited the area.

Jack Phillips contributed to this report.