Joe Biden is not one to speak with any sort of eloquence. Sometimes it’s hard to understand what he’s saying at all.
But now Biden has made a grossly offensive comment that left him with egg on his face.
Biden’s Remarks on Los Angeles Wildfires Spark Controversy and Pushback
President Joe Biden’s recent comments during a White House briefing on the devastating Los Angeles wildfires have drawn widespread criticism, particularly after he repeatedly urged speakers to “fire away!”—a phrase that seemed jarring given the ongoing infernos consuming over 30,000 acres and leaving at least five dead.
Biden used the phrase multiple times during the briefing, despite its inappropriate connotation in the context of the disaster. Addressing Vice President Kamala Harris, a California native, Biden said, “Madam Vice President, I know you’re directly affected, so you fire away!” Harris, visibly surprised, exchanged a startled look with the president, prompting him to add, “No pun intended.” Moments later, Biden repeated the phrase while speaking to U.S. Forest Service Chief Randy Moore, raising further eyebrows.
BIDEN: "Fire away. No pun intended."
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 9, 2025
Is there something funny about this? Absolutely disgusting. pic.twitter.com/3QQ4Zw1fUM
The president’s choice of words follows another misstep the day before when he remarked, “the good news is I’m a great-grandfather as of today” during a visit to a fire station in Santa Monica—a comment many deemed insensitive amid the chaos and displacement of thousands of residents fleeing their homes.
In his Thursday remarks, Biden also criticized local power companies for fire hydrant water shortages, a claim quickly refuted by the area’s utility providers. The president suggested that utility companies, in an effort to prevent downed power lines from sparking additional fires, inadvertently disrupted electricity needed to operate water pumps for hydrants.
“There’s a direct correlation between the utility company and the ability to pump water out of a hydrant,” Biden said. He added, “The vast majority of the circumstances where the water resource has been diminished is because of the utility company not being able to maintain the electric transmission.”
However, Southern California Edison, one of the utility companies in question, disputed this account. Spokesperson Kathleen Dunleavy said the company had no record of issues impacting water agencies or firefighting efforts. “We coordinate with water districts and fire agencies, and if any issue arises with water service, they are prioritized to remain in service,” Dunleavy explained.
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) echoed this sentiment, pointing to an unprecedented demand for water in the Pacific Palisades area, which caused water pressure to plummet, according to the New York Post. An LADWP spokesperson clarified to the outlet that the problem was not related to power outages, stating that “water flows were not affected by power outages.”
Biden also appeared to implicate the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) while reiterating his stance. “But the Cal Fire — when it did that, it cut off the ability to generate pumping in the water,” Biden said, adding that the agency was working to bring in generators to restore hydrant functionality.
The president’s comments seemed to target critics, including President-elect Donald Trump, who earlier in the day called on California Governor Gavin Newsom to resign over the water shortages.
Trump alleged that Newsom prioritized environmental protections for endangered fish over supplying Southern California with desperately needed water.
In contrast, Biden defended Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, praising their handling of the crisis. “I’m quite frankly proud of the job the local officials in California are doing,” Biden said. “They’re doing everything that we ask them and beyond.”
Biden also highlighted the role of climate change in exacerbating such disasters, countering Trump’s assertion that poor land management was to blame. “There is global warming. It does change weather patterns,” Biden said, emphasizing the federal government’s commitment to deploying additional firefighting resources.
As residents face staggering losses, Biden acknowledged the daunting scale of the recovery ahead. Reconstruction costs will be a “big, big, big number,” he said, cautioning against premature estimates.
Despite his efforts to shift focus to climate change and federal aid, Biden’s controversial remarks and disputed claims have added to the challenges of uniting a state reeling from a catastrophic disaster.
His insistence to blame the fires on climate change has also been a way to avoid dealing with the mismanagement and unpreparedness from the Democrats in California that have contributed to the severity of these wildfires.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
