Biden compares minor house fire to Maui tragedy

Joe Biden's visit to Maui did not go unnoticed. The president finally visited the island after almost two weeks since the start of the wildfires that devastated much of the Hawaiian island and his speech has sparked criticism after he compared a minor fire in his home to the tragedy in Hawaii.

"I don’t want to compare difficulties, but we have a little sense, Jill and I, of what it was like to lose a home," Biden said. "Years ago, now, 15 years, I was in Washington doing ‘Meet the press’… Lightning struck at home on a little lake outside the home, not a lake a big pond. It hit the wire and came up underneath our home, into the…air condition ducts," the president said.

“To make a long story short, I almost lost my wife, my 67 Corvette, and my cat," Biden added.

"It's too late"

On Monday, Biden landed at Kahului Airport along with first lady Jill Biden to see for himself the devastation caused by the deadliest wildfire in more than a century and to comfort the island's survivors. However, the president's visit was also accompanied by protests from people who were upset that he did not speak about the tragedy sooner. People held up signs that said: "It's too late," and "Actions speak louder than words."

Biden, who has been the target of criticism for ignoring the press when asked about the tragedy in Hawaii, assured that his administration has been attentive and has responded to the tragedy. "As soon as I got the governor — governor’s request, I signed the master — the major disaster declaration that mobilized the whole-of-government response (...) For example, the Coast Guard and Navy immediately supported maritime search and rescue operations, while the Army helped fire suppression," he said, assuring that they are now focusing on finding and rescuing more people.

The president finished by saying, "May God bless all those we’ve lost. May God find those who we haven’t determined yet. And may God bless you all. And may God protect our troops."