Shenandoah Valley News

Virginia State Rep. Ben Cline has sharply criticized Pres. Joe Biden's funding preference for Ukraine instead of allocating aid to the victims of the catastrophic Maui wildfires, a choice that Cline argues is particularly distressing given Biden's recent trip to the fire-ravaged area. Cline contends that this allocation decision is a disrespect to the individuals who have endured losses in the fire-devastated region. 

"The president has made just an embarrassment of himself, of the office of the president, during his trip, and now to propose that we give more money to Ukraine – more money than ever would go to Hawaii or its victims – is an insult to those who have lost family members or loved ones," Rep. Cline said in an interview with Newsmax. 

According to Newsmax, Rep.Cline criticized Pres. Biden's recent trip to Maui to visit wildfire victims in Lahaina, Hawaii, saying Biden embarrassed himself by joking about a cadaver dog wearing boots due to the hot ground. Cline highlighted that recovery efforts were hindered by the dogs' limited working time due to overheating paws. Cline also expressed discontent that Biden's proposed aid to Ukraine exceeds the support offered to Hawaii's wildfire victims, considering it an insult to those who suffered losses.

The White House requested Congress to approve over $13 billion in emergency defense aid to Ukraine on Aug. 10, along with an additional $8 billion for humanitarian support until the year's end, Newsmax reported. This $40 billion spending package includes $12 billion to aid Americans affected by various natural disasters, including the Maui wildfires and multiple billion-dollar weather-related disasters across the country from January to July. During his visit to Maui, Pres. Biden shared a personal experience of a minor kitchen fire at his Delaware home nearly two decades ago, expressing empathy to displaced Lahaina residents.

Upon his arrival in Maui on Monday, Pres. Biden's motorcade faced a vocal group of locals who chanted "Go home, Joe!" while displaying signs reading "No comment," in reference to his initial lack of response to the disaster, Newsmax reported. Some individuals even waved 2024 Donald Trump campaign flags during the protest. Despite the backlash, Biden's team defended his actions, with White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates stating on social media that Biden was shown interacting with a cadaver dog, providing comfort to survivors seeking closure, and dismissing criticism of the president's behavior as "classless and stupid."

According to Britannica, in Aug. 2023, a series of devastating wildfires, known as the Maui wildfires of 2023, swept through parts of Maui island in Hawaii, particularly impacting the historic town of Lahaina on the western peninsula. These fires, which began on August 8, resulted in extensive destruction, with over 100 casualties from smoke, flames, and drowning, making them among the deadliest wildfires globally. The flames razed most of Lahaina, causing the destruction or damage of almost 3,000 structures. Additionally, smaller wildfires affected parts of Hawaii island from Aug. 9 onwards.