Biden to visit Maui on Monday after awkward speech on wildfires sparks further anger over response

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will visit Maui, Hawaii on Monday 21 August to meet with first responders, survivors and officials– nearly two weeks after devastating wildfires ravaged parts of the island. Days after Mr Biden faced backlash from individuals who believed the President did not have enough of a public-facing approach to addressing the wildfires, the White House announced the trip. “In Maui, the President and First Lady will be welcomed by state and local leaders to see firsthand the impacts of the wildfires and the devastating loss of life and land that has occurred on the island, as well as discuss the next steps in the recovery efforts,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre wrote in a statement. The announcement comes one day after Mr Biden told reporters he was working with the Hawaiian government to schedule a visit that would not disrupt relief efforts and re-direct security and law enforcement resources. In their statement, the White House said the Mr Biden was in close contact with Hawaii governor Josh Green, senators Mazie Hirono (D-HI), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Deanna Criswell who said they expected “to be at a stage early next week to allow for a presidential visit.” This is a breaking news story.... More Follows Read More Karine Jean-Pierre suffers mishap as she posts tweet meant for Biden’s account Can Donald Trump still run for president after charges over 2020 election? Americans are divided along party lines over Trump’s actions in election cases, AP-NORC poll shows