Joe Biden Struggles To Pronounce Maui Officials' Names During Speech

President Joe Biden has come under renewed criticism after struggling to pronounce the names of officials in Maui during a visit to the Hawaiian island to survey the ongoing recovery efforts there in the wake of a series of devastating and deadly wildfires.

Fresh questions were raised of the president's mental acuity after the latest gaffe, while he also faced ire online for appearing to make light of how hot the ground was while touring the historic resort town of Lahaina, the majority of which has been razed to the ground.

The trip comes after the president faced outrage over his handling of the disaster. He did not explicitly commit to visit Maui in a speech last week and also delivered what some saw as a dismissive response to the death toll on the island while staying at his Delaware beach house.

Biden and First Lady Jill visited Maui on Monday where he told residents the rest of America "grieves with you" and reiterated his pledge for federal support "for as long as it takes."

Standing near Lahaina's ancient banyan tree—one of the town's few surviving features that was feared to have died after being badly burned—he remarked: "Today it's burned, but it's still standing. The tree survived for a reason. I believe it's a very powerful symbol of what we can and will do to get through this crisis."

Meanwhile, his announcement on August 14 that affected households in Maui would be eligible for a one-off $700 payment was also described as "insulting" by detractors.

As well as walking through the ashes of Lahaina, the Bidens consoled Hawaii's Gov. Josh Green and the state's congressional delegation and took an aerial tour on Marine One to view the devastation. They met first responders and local residents, and participated in a blessing by island elders.

While giving a speech in Lahaina, Biden struggled with several of the names of local officials, including both of Hawaii's Democratic senators—indicated in an official transcript from the White House, which features several strikethroughs and corrections.

Listing names, he referred to Sen. Brian Schatz as "Brian Schantz" before adding: "Senator Mazie Hir... By the way, Mazie, I told my granddaughter, whose name is Maisy as well — she said, "That's why I like her." Anyway. But her name is Maisy as well."

Biden then continued: "And, and Jill... er... To.. Tokuda," an attempt at pronouncing the name of one of Hawaii's Democratic representatives.

"Joe Biden having a laugh about Mazie Hirono's name. Then he struggles to pronounce the name of a Hawaiian official," news aggregator Citizen Free Press posted in reaction to the stumble. "It's pretty clear why they didn't want Joe to go out there. He's a mess."

Other social media users described the fumbles as "embarrassing" and "absolutely disgusting," while a parody account of the first lady joked: "Joe actually speaks native Hawaiian. He didn't mispronounce those name[s], the sun was in his eye while he was reading."

Newsweek approached the White House via email for comment on Tuesday.

The president has continually faced questions about his age and mental acuity after a series of public gaffes. Biden—at 80, already the oldest serving president in U.S. history, who will turn 82 shortly after election day in 2024—has brushed off concerns about his physical and mental health, stating in 2022: "I no more think of myself as being as old as I am than a fly."

Large bush fires on Maui have so far taken the lives of 115 people, according to the latest update from the island's police force. Around 35 of those have been identified—many of the victims announced so far were elderly.

The wildfires caused power outages, mass evacuations and disrupted communications and the water supply on the island. The fires broke out earlier in August and spread rapidly on powerful winds from a passing hurricane.

"I will do everything in my power to help Maui recover and rebuild from this tragedy," Biden said in a statement ahead of the visit. "And throughout our efforts, we are focused on respecting sacred lands, cultures, and traditions."