President Joe Biden pardoned his son, Hunter Biden, on Sunday, as Townhall has been covering. While such a move has thrown Biden's fellow Democrats into disarray, with many disagreeing with his decision, the president doesn't seem to care. While overseas in Angola on Tuesday, he was asked about such a pardon, prompting him to smile, chuckle, and offer, "Welcome to America!"
Biden's brief non-answer came as reporters shouted a bunch of other questions at him, which he just sat there for, as has been typical for his presidency. One reporter asked what was on the mind of so many, "Mr. President, why did you pardon your son?"
"Welcome to America," Biden quietly murmured, as he leaned back in his seat, surrounded by other laughing attendees at his meeting with Angolan President João Lourenço at the presidential palace.
Biden may have pardoned Hunter, in part, because his approval ratings are so bad – and have the potential to get even worse – that he may just not care, as we explored on Monday. Such a non-response would certainly lend credence to that theory.
As RNC Research highlighted in sharing the clip, it was even more bizarre, given that Biden wasn't even in America at the moment when he made such comments.
This is not the first time Biden has castigated the press in front of foreign leaders. Just last month, when meeting with Israeli President Isaac Herzog, he joked with an Israeli reporter about avoiding getting hit in the head with a camera. Such a comment was particularly uncalled for, as she had asked a serious question about if he thought he could get a deal for the remaining hostages being held in Gaza to be released before his term ended. These people, including American citizens, have been held captive by Hamas for over a year.
Biden has also mocked the press in past years for daring to ask questions when he was meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2021, as well as when he was meeting with Boris Johnson, then the prime minister of the United Kingdom not long before that.
Such a response of "Welcome to America" was not the only way in which Biden made news for what he's said while in Angola. He referred to Angola, the country, as "a vibrant city" and also announced $1 billion in humanitarian aid for Africa to help replace homes affected by natural disasters.
The announcement of aid, which has since become a trending topic over X for Tuesday, adds insult to injury, given that the federal response to assist North Carolina following Hurricane Helene has been particularly lacking. Others who have tried to help have been blocked by local and state authorities. FEMA has been so incompetent, with misplaced focuses on "equity" and team members even being told to skip helping homes with Trump signs, as well as a whole host of other problems, that Director Deanne Criswell was grilled in back-to-back House hearings last month.
Many of those chiming in to express outrage about such an announcement brought up North Carolina, while Rep. Nancy Mace (R-SC) expressed her anger by also bringing it back to the Hunter Biden pardon.
North Carolinians are still struggling to recover from a deadly flood and don’t have the resources they need yet Joe Biden just traveled to Africa and pledged over a billion dollars to help Africans hit by floods rebuild. I can’t believe this is real: pic.twitter.com/h8QnB5zGx0
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) December 3, 2024
🚨 #BREAKING: Joe Biden has just announced $1 BILLION in handouts to victims of AFRICAN natural disasters
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) December 3, 2024
Meanwhile, he’s ABANDONED Hurricane victims in North Carolina
So sick of this America Last BS. pic.twitter.com/AgRmhEMMwv
I beg your biggest pardon? https://t.co/Q4jFnbXkJH
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) December 3, 2024
Meanwhile FEMA wouldn't help Americans living near Trump yard signs... https://t.co/uOrR0DolVd
— Rep. Nancy Mace (@RepNancyMace) December 3, 2024
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