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Did Joe Biden’s home really burn down? Outrage over POTUS’ claim of ‘having a sense’ of what Maui residents are going through

Joe Biden talked about a fire that struck his Delaware house in 2004 and claimed he almost lost his 'wife, '67 Corvette and cat' in Maui

MAUI, HAWAII: President Joe Biden embarked on a five-hour tour of Hawaii on Monday, August 21, where he gave a speech at a charred sacred Banyan tree and brought up a minor fire incident that occurred at his home in 2004 in Delaware.

He received severe backlash for his statement as they believe it was a tone-deaf response to the wildfires, which killed at least 114 people, with several others missing.

Two weeks after the devastating wildfires began, the president, accompanied by his wife Jill, arrived in Maui. As his motorcade drove by, they were greeted with shouts of "F**k you!" from the locals, per Daily Mail.

What did Joe Biden say about Maui fires?

Biden added to the frustration of the horror-stricken residents by giving a speech where he spoke about his personal loss almost 20 years ago.

His home in Wilmington, Delaware got hit by lightning, causing a small kitchen fire that didn't spread. He said to victims of the wildfire, "Jill and I have a little sense of what it's like to lose a home."

He continued, "Years ago, now 15 years ago, I was in Washington doing meet the press. It was a sunny Sunday and lightning struck at home." After describing the incident, he concluded, "I almost lost my wife, my '67 Corvette & my cat!"

Journalist Erin Elizabeth reposted a clip of the incident, angered by the comparison. She wrote, "Joe Biden compares the suffering of Maui victims who lost their homes & families to the time he had a small kitchen fire: "I almost lost my '67 Corvette & my cat!""

She further added her personal experience with loss, comparing the gravity of the two situations as she said, "I , Erin Elizabeth, lost my cat dog & neighbors and my home to a tornado. WTF?!"

Joe Biden criticized for visiting Maui

Biden's visit was expected to stir up controversy. Some criticized his choice not to visit earlier and spend time at the beach instead. Others wanted him to stay away due to the fear that his presence would divert resources from search and rescue efforts.

Before his visit, Biden faced criticism for not giving enough attention to the wildfires and for responding too slowly to the crisis. The death toll in Maui increased to 114 on Monday, August 21, with 850 people still missing. Only a small portion of the deceased have been identified.

Joe Biden's comparison of Hawaiian wildfire to 2004 house blaze sparks outrage

People across the internet were enraged over Joe Biden's trivialization of the wildfires. They lashed out at him as videos of the speech gained traction across social media.

One user wrote on X, formerly Twitter, "I don’t know who wrote that… But that’s one of the worst attempts at 'relatable' I’ve ever heard." "Absolute idiot!" exclaimed another.

A third questioned, "Why people even attend his speeches???" Another added, "He has no sense of depth of grief Hawaiians are feeling."

Someone else called Joe Biden a "narcissist," writing, "He has to make everything about him. Hillary was the same exact way. Narcissists who can never be sincere in their support for others."

Another sarcastically remarked, "I almost lost my wife my 67 Corvette in my cat yeah that's the same to these people that have lost loved ones not almost but did lost everything they owned and then the government wants to come in and talk about imminent domain."

"ABSOLUTELY A DISGRACE!" added another.