(HorizonPost.com) – After facing criticism over his lack of public response to the deadly wildfires in Maui, President Biden and the First Lady flew to the Hawaiian island on Monday where not all of the Maui residents were happy to see them.
The president toured the damage in Lahaina, the town where as many as 850 people are still missing following the deadliest wildfires in modern US history, NBC News reported.
But the president’s arrival was met with anger over what some Maui residents viewed as his inaction and indifference to the tragedy.
The New York Post reported that the president’s motorcade was greeted by protesters chanting “Go home Joe!” and holding signs like “No Comment,” “FJB” (AKA “F*ck Joe Biden”), and “Action Speaks Louder than Words.”
When vacationing at his Rehoboth Beach home the weekend of the Maui wildfires, Biden offered a cold-hearted “No Comment” when asked about the rising death toll. And that callousness, coupled with the president’s multiple vacations since the fires began, did not sit well with Maui residents.
CBS News spoke with some residents protesting the president’s arrival on Monday who criticized Biden for not visiting the island sooner.
The president’s callousness continued during the visit as he chose the tragedy to once again recount the minor kitchen fire that occurred in his Wilmington home in 2004 while speaking with community leaders in Lahaina.
Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen said on Sunday that the death toll from the wildfires had risen to 114. So far, only 27 of those have been identified. More than 1,200 people believed missing have been safely located.
The president said in his brief remarks that the federal government would remain in Maui for long as needed. He assured the residents of Lahaina that the government will be “respectful” of their wishes, traditions, and the “meaning” of their sacred ground.
Upon leaving Hawaii, the president and first lady returned to Lake Tahoe where they are spending the week on vacation.
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