Biden’s Fire Joke and Personal Updates at Wildfire Briefing Spark Mixed Reactions: “No Pun Intended”
Kamala Harris and Joe Biden. (Getty Images)
During a wildfire briefing on Thursday, January 9, President Joe Biden made an awkward pun that left Vice President Kamala Harris visibly struggling to keep a straight face. Addressing Harris, who resides in Los Angeles’ Brentwood neighborhood and was directly affected by the fires, Biden quipped, “Madam Vice President, I know you’re directly affected. So you fire away,” before quickly adding an obligatory, “No pun intended.”
While Harris remained composed, social media erupted with reactions. One user joked, “Biden’s cracking fire jokes at a wildfire briefing. Kamala’s like, Chill, man!” Another wrote, “Her face says it all. No need for words.” A commenter added, “She’s 100% over all of this—first Obama and Trump cutting up during the funeral, and now this.”
Some praised Harris for her restraint. “She’s matured so much because a cackle was fighting its way out, and she didn’t even give it a chance,” a user observed. Others were less forgiving of Biden’s timing. “He barely made it on time by saying ‘no pun intended,’” someone quipped.
The briefing took another unexpected turn when Biden announced personal news. “We’re prepared to do anything and everything as long as it takes to contain these fires and help reconstruct… But the good news is I’m a great-grandfather as of today,” he stated abruptly.
The comment sparked criticism online. “A tragedy in California and Joe Biden finds a way to make it about himself. Unbelievable,” wrote one person. Another added, “This man is an embarrassment. Who thought this was a good idea?”
Later in the briefing, Biden shared a personal anecdote about his son, Hunter Biden, who lives in Malibu. Biden revealed that Hunter and his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, had received a warning that their home might have burned down.
“It’s astounding what has happened. Only one piece of good news: my son lives out here, and his wife. They got a notification yesterday that their home was probably burned to the ground. Today, it appears that it’s still standing. They’re not sure,” he said.
Subsequent reports, including photos from the Daily Mail, confirmed that the property had indeed been destroyed by the wildfires. The president’s comments, mixing lighthearted quips and personal revelations amid a disaster briefing, have sparked both amusement and criticism, highlighting the challenges of striking the right tone during moments of national crisis.
