Criticism over Biden’s response to wildfires follows him to Maui
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This story has been updated.
President Joe Biden boarded Air Force One on Monday and traveled to Maui, Hawaii, to show support for victims of the deadly wildfires.
He was on a family trip to Lake Tahoe before flying over to the disaster area with first lady Jill Biden.
“Jill and I are here to grieve with you but also want you to know the entire country is here for you,” he said, wearing a lei over a blue-collared shirt at the Lahaina Civic Center.
Biden spoke about losing his wife and daughter, adding that he had “a little bit of a sense of what it’s like driving from Washington to Wilmington, 150 miles, wondering what in God’s name is it going to be like when I get to the hospital.”
The death toll climbed to 114 people since the fires began on Aug. 8, while 850 individuals are still unaccounted for, likely marking the largest natural disaster in Hawaii’s history.
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Historically, presidents have faced scrutiny over their response to major disasters. A visit to the area is almost mandatory, as is a show of empathy and strength. The president’s presence in Maui and his touching speech showcased just that.
But he continues to receive criticism from politicians and residents over his initial disconnected response to the wildfires, while his administration says he led a prompt government effort.
Did Biden’s initial response lack directness?
When a Bloomberg reporter asked the president about the rising death toll on Aug. 13, Biden, who was on a week-long vacation at Rehoboth Beach in Delaware, replied: “No comment,” before heading home. By then, nearly 100 were confirmed dead.
“I think President Biden made a mistake not to address the nation about Hawaii in a more forthright, dramatic and immediate fashion,” Douglas Brinkley, a presidential historian and author of a book about the government’s handling of Hurricane Katrina, told The Washington Post.
Biden released a statement on Aug. 10 offering his “deepest condolences” and declared the Maui fires a major disaster, paving the way for federal aid to support affected communities.
The same day, at an invititation-only fundraiser in Park City, Utah, Biden said his administration was dedicated to supporting Hawaii.
“Not just our prayers,” he said. “Every asset we have will be available to them. It’s not over yet.”
That marked the extent of the president’s initial public comments. As Brinkley suggested, the first 72 hours are crucial for rescue and relief, and for a president to step up as “the great grief counselor in chief.”
Presidents often get scrutinized for disaster response
Republicans like former President Donald Trump released a video reacting to Biden’s response.
“To say ‘no comment’ is oftentimes fine, but to be smiling when you say it, especially against such a tragedy as this, is absolutely horrible and unacceptable,” he said.
Trump, too, was criticized for his response to a disaster. When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico in 2017, he threw paper towels into a crowd of Puerto Ricans at a relief center.
Former President Barack Obama faced scrutiny when he continued vacationing and golfing as flooding hit Louisiana in 2016.
And former President George W. Bush was holidaying at his ranch when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005.
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Biden is not a perfect orator, but he is typically good at expressing empathy, said Brinkley. The president has often talked about the tragedies that have affected his life. His first wife died in a car crash with their one-year-old daughter when he was 29. He lost his son, Beau Biden, to cancer.
In the case of the disaster in Hawaii, “he seemed slow off the mark,” said Brinkley.
The president finally spoke at length about the wildfires during his stop at Milwaukee last week — seven days after the wildfires began. He also revealed plans to visit Maui.
“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 we got everything they need,” he said.
After that, he was back in Delaware, and riding a bike when a reporter asked about his trip to Maui.
“We’re looking at it,” Biden said, biking away.
White House reveals Biden’s efforts behind closed doors
The White House began peeling back the curtain on the work the Biden administration was doing after facing criticism on the reaction to the Maui wildfires.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a press briefing on Aug. 14 the president had spoken to Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green and Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Democrat — all of whom praised Biden.
“Nothing can prepare you for what I saw during my time here, and nothing can prepare them for the emotional toll of the impact that this severe event has taken on them,” said Criswell, who was in Hawaii at the president’s request.
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Criswell added that she has been in “continuous communication with the president since these fires started.”
In an appearance on ABC’s “This Week” Sunday, Criswell gave Biden credit for leading relief efforts.
“He directed me to make sure that we are doing everything we can to help the people of Maui and to bring in all of the federal resources to help with this immediate response,” she said.
FEMA has sent over $8 million to families of victims and is housing 1,200 people in hotels, motels and other short-term rentals.
Her agency is also providing 50,000 meals, 75,000 liters of water, 10,000 blankets and 5,000 cots, as well as other essential supplies.
Green applauded the Biden administration’s efforts on social media last week. After talking with Biden on the phone to discuss recovery efforts, he posted, “Mahalo for having our backs in this time of need with the full force of the federal government.”
Locals complain about lack of assistance
Some residents, however, have complained about inadequate help from officials.
“Everyone was waiting for the government to show up after the deadly wildfires on the island, so the community took recovery into their own hands,” Kai Lenny, a professional surfer and a Maui local leading relief efforts, told CBS News last week.
“I haven’t seen one state, one county, one federal official at any one of the donation hubs where people are most suffering,” he said. “People are sleeping in their cars. People are asking for specific items now.”
Some residents also questioned why the county officials failed to activate sirens to prepare residents for evacuations, resulting in the resignation of the chief of the Hawaii Emergency Management Agency. The lack of power, water and cell reception doesn’t help either, while hundreds of people are still unaccounted for.
Former Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard pointed out “a lack of trust because of the failure to communicate” in an appearance on “Fox and Friends” Monday.
“The people in these surrounding communities have been faced with a situation where they had no power. They were told they couldn’t drink the water out of the faucet. Roadblocks were being put in place,” Gabbard said. “So they had to turn to each other as a community to get food and to get the kind of immediate, basic support they needed. They didn’t see anybody from any level of the government for over a week after this catastrophe happened.”
But Biden painted a more optimistic picture in a recorded video message aired on ABC News on Thursday, saying the White House is behind the residents of Maui.
“Already from the darkness and the smoke and the ash — we’ve seen the light of hope and strength,” he said.
