(PatriotWise.com) — President Biden took a break from his vacation in Lake Tahoe on Monday to travel to Maui with the First Lady after more than a week of public silence following the deadliest wildfires in modern US history, NBC News reported.
The president toured the town of Lahaina, where as many as 850 people remain missing, and met with community leaders.
But Biden’s visit was met with some derision from Maui residents over what they viewed as his inaction and indifference to the tragedy.
WCTV spoke with some residents protesting the president’s arrival. Many showed up at the airport and along the motorcade route carrying signs reading, “No Comment” and “Actions speak louder than words.” Some protesters told WCTV that Biden should have visited the island sooner.
The president’s visit was not without problems. While speaking to some residents in Lahaina, Biden inappropriately recounted the kitchen fire that occurred in his Wilmington home in 2004.
According to Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen, the death toll from the wildfires has risen to 114. Only 27 have been identified. Another 1,285 people have been safely located.
The White House announced over the weekend that more than 1,000 federal personnel were on the ground in Maui, including nearly 450 search-and-rescue members. The Biden administration approved over $8 million in assistance for about 2,500 families, including nearly $3 million in rental assistance.
In his brief remarks, Biden insisted that the federal government would remain for long as needed and assured the locals that the government would be “respectful” of their wishes, traditions, and the “meaning” of their sacred ground.
Biden also announced that he will appoint FEMA regional administrator Bob Fenton to lead the federal response in Maui.
Upon leaving Hawaii, the president and first lady returned to Lake Tahoe to resume their third vacation of the month.
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