The White House announced a lid before noon Monday, indicating no further public events will come from its team, as President Joe Biden goes radio silent while war continues to rage in Israel.
The president is not expected to make public appearances or announcements after the White House called its late morning lid. Conservative media personalities are heavily criticizing The White House’s decision after at least nine American citizens have reportedly died.
“Biden has ‘called a lid’ for the rest of the day, meaning no public or press events. This is a disgusting disgrace,” television host Mark Levin tweeted. “And, yet again, our enemies around the world take notice.”
Hamas terrorists took Israeli civilians hostage and brutally killed others after entering southern Israel on Saturday, according to The New York Times (NYT). Hamas launched at least 2,200 rockets in the initial hours of its attack, Israel estimated.
A National Security Council spokesman says at least nine American citizens have died in the Hamas attack, according to CNN. In total, at least 900 Israelis have died and thousands are wounded, though figures are expected to rise, ABC News reported.
“WH just put a ‘lid’ on any announcement today from Pres Biden,” David Asman, a Fox News host, tweeted. “So he had time for a weekend BBQ, but has yet to speak directly to the world about the threat to the very existence of our strongest Mideast ally…as well as the brutal murders and hostage taking of Americans?”
The president will be “working on supporting Israel all day,” a White House spokesperson told the Daily Caller when asked about the criticism. Lids only pertain to events on the president’s public schedule, the White House spokesperson told the Daily Caller.
Aside from a daily briefing, the president has nothing on his public schedule.
White House spox tells me that Biden is “working on supporting Israel all day” when asked why a lid was called before noon.
Lids, the spokesperson added, concern only public events. @DailyCaller
— Reagan Reese (@reaganreese_) October 9, 2023
Biden also faced scrutiny for hosting a barbecue Sunday evening for White House staff. Conservative media figures blasted the president’s decision to throw a party while Israel dealt with the unexpected attack.
After direction from the president, the Pentagon said Sunday it would be sending its largest aircraft carrier to the Eastern Mediterranean to support Israel in its war, according to a Sunday statement by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. The Pentagon also began transferring security assistance, such as ammunition, to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Sunday. (RELATED: The US Is Moving Hundreds Of Thousands Of Ammo Rounds Out Of Israel To Support Ukraine)
“President Biden has called a lid for the day,” Tony Kinnett, an investigative columnist for the Daily Signal, tweeted. “The man can enjoy live music at a picnic during a slaughter but can’t handle a few minutes of being accountable for his disastrous foreign policy.”