Moment Joe Biden tells Kamala Harris ‘fire away… no pun intended’ in live update on LA wildfires as death toll hits 6
THIS is the moment President Joe Biden told Kamala Harris “fire away… no pun intended” during a press conference on LA’s deadly wildfires.
The poor remark has left many shaking their heads as the death toll hit six and 70,000 people have fled their homes in the City of Angels.
As he handed the mic to Vice President Kamala Harris, the US President said: “Fire away… no pun intended.”
Harris, seated next to Biden, was seen laughing, sparking further backlash online as viewers slammed the comment as “tone deaf”.
One person said: “Unbelievable.”
Another wrote: “Watch out Kevin Hart! Biden looks to jump into comedy when he is out of office..only thing is..there is nothing funny about this.”
Someone else replied: “Is there something funny about this? Absolutely disgusting.”
The president’s ill-timed quip comes as wildfires rage across Los Angeles, leaving neighborhoods in ruins and even forcing celebrities to evacuate their multimillion-dollar mansions.
Firefighters are battling the inferno with dangerously low water supplies, while terrified locals record their hometowns burning.
It comes as…
- Five people have died as uncontrolled wildfires engulf Los Angeles
- At least 130,000 have been evacuated and schools have closed
- Nearly 400,000 homes are left without power as over 2,000 buildings destroyed and 30,000 acres burned
- Firefighters are “maxed out” and reportedly running out of water
- Harrowing footage shows the city up in flames
- Celebrity homes have been torched, including A-listers like Paris Hilton, Billy Crystal, and Anthony Hopkins
- Joe Biden slammed for announcing granddaughter’s baby news during LA fire presser
For the thousands who have lost everything, Biden’s gaffe has only added insult to injury.
But this isn’t Biden’s first blunder during the LA fire crisis.
Earlier this week, he awkwardly pivoted to personal news after a grim update on the Palisades wildfires.
“The good news is, I’m a great-grandfather as of today,” Biden announced at a Santa Monica fire station, adding, “I’ll remember this day for a lot of reasons.”
The president’s celebration of his great-grandson, William Brannon Neal IV, came right after addressing the devastation.
To make matters worse, Biden stumbled over the details, first calling the baby a “10-pound girl” before correcting himself.
Biden also joked about his son Hunter’s home being burned down, calling it “one piece of good news” that it might still be standing.
Meanwhile, a Brit dad shared the devastation his family faces after their home in Pacific Palisades was destroyed in an “apocalyptic” wildfire.
Andrew Stalbow, who has lived in the area since 2008, said the blaze left his neighbourhood looking like “an atomic bomb’s hit it.”
Mr Stalbow revealed the emotional toll of losing not only his “amazing home” but also treasured belongings, including pictures of his late grandfather.
“I don’t recognize anything,” he told Sky News.
“It hasn’t just hit one house, it’s hit everybody. The whole village, schools, restaurants, everything we’ve got is turned to dust, and it looks like an atomic bomb’s hit it.”
According to Fox LA, the Palisades Fire continues to wreak havoc with no signs of slowing down.
As of 2.15pm local time, new figures reveal the fire has scorched 19,978 acres, destroyed 5,316 structures, and remains at zero per cent containment.
Firefighters are working around the clock, but the scale of destruction and lack of progress in containment paint a grim picture for the days ahead.