Karine Jean-Pierre pushes back on Biden ignoring Maui wildfires: 'He has been talking about this'
Karine Jean-Pierre claimed that President Joe Biden has "been talking" about the Maui wildfires despite criticism he has received this week for ignoring the crisis.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pushed back on questions from CNN as to why President Biden refused to speak out publicly on the Maui wildfires until Tuesday.
"You guys will probably think that it’s minor and we’re making too much of it," said "CNN This Morning" co-host Phil Mattingly on Wednesday, "but the idea of not saying anything until yesterday publicly, why?"
"I would disagree with that," Jean-Pierre said.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre pushed back on questions from CNN as to why President Biden refused to speak out publicly on the Maui wildfires until Tuesday. (CNN / Screenshot)
"The President, when I was with him in Utah, and he was out there to talk about the Pact Act, an incredibly historic, important piece of legislation," she said. "At the top of his remarks, he talked about what was going on in Hawaii and how we were moving forward with the federal whole-of-government response."
"He has been talking about this," Jean-Pierre emphasized, adding that the relief work in Hawaii is "a long-term effort."
Mattingly told viewers that while "the federal government has deployed significant resources to the area," the president "didn’t actually weigh in himself publicly until yesterday, speaking out while visiting Milwaukee, touting his Bidenomics agenda."
Jean-Pierre herself has been bashed for fumbling her response to questions on the Hawaii wildfires.
While answering a question about the devastating wildfires, Jean-Pierre mispronounced both Hawaii Democrat senators' names, Sens. Maizie Hirono and Brian Schatz, and referred to Hirono as a "he."
"Sen. Horino (sic), who I've said the president spoke to just last night. He (sic) thanked the president for the immediate support of federal agencies have delivered for residents of Hawaii," Jean-Pierre said. "Um, and so does, has, uh, so has, uh, Sen. Shorts- Shwa- Shart- Shots (sic.)"
WHITE HOUSE SHOOTS DOWN CRITICS OVER BIDEN'S 'NO COMMENT' HAWAII RESPONSE
Biden broke his silence on the Maui wildfires at an event in Wisconsin Tuesday, saying that he would visit Hawaii soon. (Andrew Caballero)
That response came just one day after Biden refused to comment on the Maui wildfires.
When asked by a reporter if he had "any comment on the rising death toll in Maui," Biden said that he had "no comment" before climbing back into a car.
Biden broke his silence on the Maui wildfires at an event in Wisconsin Tuesday, saying that he would visit Hawaii soon.
"My wife Jill and I are gonna travel to Hawaii as soon as we can, and 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 areas, but I want to go and make sure they've got everything they need, and I want to be sure we don't disrupt the ongoing recovery efforts," he said.
Charred remains of a burned neighbourhood is seen in the aftermath of a wildfire, in Lahaina, western Maui, Hawaii on Aug. 14, 2023. (YUKI IWAMURA/AFP via Getty Images)
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Fox News’ Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.
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