US President Joe Biden has been labelled “tone deaf” for his latest blunder, which came as he addressed the devastating wildfires that swept through Los Angeles (LA) this week.
During a press conference, the 84-year-old told Vice President Kamala Harris to “fire away” as he handed the mic to his second in command.
He added that there was “no pun intended”.
It comes after brutal fires swept through neighbourhoods in California, leaving six dead and destroying hundreds of homes while 70,000 fled.
Biden’s latest gaffe has sparked a fierce backlash online.
Vince Dao, a political commentator, wrote on X: “How tone deaf can he be?”
The Libs of TikTok‘s agreed the remark was”completely tone deaf.”
Another account, MAGA Voice, wrote that Biden’s slip-up was “absolutely disgusting”.
It is not the only comment Biden has been blasted for as America grabbles with the stark damage sparked by the blazes that tore through LA, even forcing celebrities to flee their million-dollar homes.
Earlier this week, the outgoing president was slammed for using a press conference on the wildfires to announce that he is a great-grandfather.
Nick Sortor, a pro-Trump influencer, posted: “Joe Biden just used the Los Angeles Fire press conference to announce he’s a great-grandfather WTF?.
“This man is an absolute disgrace.”
Biden has also announced that the federal government is set to cover all of the wildfire disaster response costs for the next 180 days.
He said: “That’s going to pay for things like debris and hazard material removal, temporary shelters, first responders’ salaries, and all of the safety measures to protect life and property.”
The wildfires are thought to be some of the costliest in US history, with damages expected to surpass $135 billion (£109.7 billion).