MAUI COUNTY, Hawaii — President Joe Biden’s response to the disastrous wildfires that destroyed Lahaina, the westernmost city on the island of Maui, is receiving sharp criticism from locals.

As The Daily Signal team traveled throughout Maui on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, citizens from all over Hawaii expressed anger, dismay, and exasperation at the lack of care Biden seemed to show when first asked about the Maui wildfires, and his expected visit on Monday, Aug. 21.

After a couple hours on the Rehoboth beach, @potus was asked about the rising death toll in Hawaii

“No comment,” he said before heading home pic.twitter.com/Y0UmXirju9

— Justin Sink (@justinsink) August 13, 2023

Maui natives who have had their hands full for almost two weeks with transporting and delivering supplies, risking their lives to aid others, and sacrificing their bank accounts to help newly homeless friends and neighbors expressed disdain toward Biden’s apparent callousness — which some called “selfish,” “arrogant,” and “disgusting.”

The majority of the islanders that spoke with The Daily Signal said that this response from the Biden administration was “predictable.” While Hawaiians were climbing into boats, cars, trucks, and fighting fires, Biden didn’t acknowledge the fires at all until four days later.

There is a serious concern that Biden’s visit on Monday will “clog up the roads” and “shut them down for six hours,” which would make it “impossible to deliver food,” one restaurant owner told The Daily Signal.

The Daily Signal will be covering Biden’s visit to Maui and its effect on local rescue, recovery, and rebuilding on the ground in Lahaina and Kihei throughout Monday.

Copyright 2023 The Daily Signal