In a new excruciating gaffe, the US President has claimed hurricane rescue workers have been handed "death penalties" as a result of dishonesty and disinformation.
Speaking during a press conference on Hurricane Milton, Joe Biden attempted to warn US citizens against making threats to emergency response workers.
He said: "Our fellow Americans are putting their lives on the line to do this dangerous work and received death penalties as a result of reckless, irresponsible, relentless disinformation and outright lies that continue to flow."
Slammed online for the error, one user tweeted: "I had to replay that immediately to make sure I heard correctly", while another tweeted: "I think he meant death threats, but..."
A portion of the brief press update was dedicated to Biden criticising his predecessor, former President and current Republican candidate Donald Trump
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A portion of the brief press update was dedicated to Biden criticising his predecessor, former President and current Republican candidate Donald Trump, for spreading disinformation surrounding the federal government's response to Hurricane Milton.
In a status update on the hurricane, he said: "Mr. President Trump, former President Trump, get a life, man. Help these people."
When asked by reporters whether Biden held Trump accountable for spreading disinformation, he continued: "The public will hold him accountable. You better, the press, hold him accountable because you know the truth."
However, the President said that he had not spoken with Donald Trump, nor intends to.
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Donald Trump has posted on his X account that he had received reports that the Federal Government and Democrat governors were going "out of their way to not help people in Republican areas" following the horrific effects of Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Additionally, Trump ally Elon Musk has accused the Federal Emergency Management Agency of actively blocking donations to hurricane victims.
FEMA officials have refuted these claims.
Another uncomfortable moment during the press update saw Biden joke about Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, saying that he was "coming over to help with the storm".
The storm is estimated to have caused tens of billions of dollars worth of damage
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Biden has also directly appealed to Congress for further help for disaster recovery agencies, saying that the Federal Emergency Management Agency had sufficient short-term funds, but would require greater assistance for longer-term aid.
He said: “We know from previous hurricanes that it’s often the case more lives are lost in the days following the storm than actually during the storm itself.
“It’s going to take several billion dollars. It’s not just going to be a matter of just a little bit.”
At least 16 people have died following the hurricane, and the storms have been estimated to have cost tens of billions of dollars.
