White House clarifies Biden's response to Maui wildfires question

The White House explained that President Joe Biden didn't hear the question when he responded with "no comment" about the rising death toll from the Maui wildfires, which has been heavily criticized by Republicans. The president had already spoken about the wildfires and was in daily contact with senior staff, FEMA, and state officials. Biden's response was seen as insensitive and ran counter to his reputation as an empathizer-in-chief. The Biden administration has since made efforts to detail the federal government's response to the wildfires, including approving over $10 million in federal assistance and deploying over 1,000 federal personnel to assist residents.