Video of Joe Biden on the Beach Sparks Outrage From Republicans

A number of Republican figures have condemned Joe Biden while sharing a video of the president at a beach in Delaware amid the conflict between Israel and Hamas.

The short clip shows the president and first lady Jill Biden walking on Rehoboth Beach while a reporter off screen asks him about the release of Americans being held hostage by Hamas. Biden waves towards the reporter, but does not stop to answer any questions.

Two American hostages—Judith Tai Raanan, 59, and her daughter Natalie, 17—were released by the Islamist militant group to Israeli forces on Friday, the first time that Hamas has freed captives taken prisoner during a major incursion into Israel on October 7.

Israel said it was at war with Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., and subsequently launched its heaviest-ever airstrikes on Gaza. As of October 23, more than 1,400 people have been killed in Israel, the Associated Press reported, citing the Israeli military. The Palestinian Health Ministry said Sunday that the death toll in Gaza had reached at least 4,651 people, with another 14,254 people wounded, the Associated Press said.

Amid the criticism from conservative figures about Biden being seen at the beach, the White House indicated that the president, who recently visited Israel, had been working the entire time he was in Delaware, including speaking to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Americans are still being held hostage by Hamas terrorists—and Joe Biden is at the beach," the RNC Research group, which frequently shares videos online to criticize the president, posted on X, formerly Twitter.

The Proud Elephant account, which posts about GOP political figures, shared the RNC Research's video, adding "disgraceful."

Robby Starbuck, a former GOP congressional candidate for Tennessee's 5th district, posted: "Biden had a nice time at the beach this weekend. If there was a soap opera about him, it would have to be named 'As The World Burns', right? Seems appropriate."

Brick Suit, an "America First" account with more than 158,000 followers on X, added: "Multiple wars, danger of WW3, illegal aliens crossing the border at record rates, inflation, mortgage rates over 8%, Americans held hostage overseas, and Joe is enjoying another weekend at the beach. Make it make sense."

Reacting to the criticism, White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates told Newsweek: "As has been the case for the better part of a century, presidents can execute the full range of their duties from anywhere in the world—whether it's a war zone in Israel or 100 miles from the White House in Delaware.

"Meanwhile, House Republicans were on recess bickering with each other."

On Sunday, the White House said that Biden had spoken with Netanyahu, a conversation in which the president "expressed appreciation" for Israel's support in helping to accommodate the release of the two American hostages. Biden and Netanyahu also discussed ongoing efforts to secure the release of all the remaining hostages taken by Hamas, including U.S. citizens, according to a press briefing.

Herbie Ziskend, the White House deputy communications director, shared a clip to X on Sunday featuring Fox News correspondent Alexandria Hoff saying that Biden has been "anything but off the grid" during his visit to Delaware.

As well as his call with Netanyahu, Hoff noted that Biden has also been speaking to his national security team, Pope Francis, and the leaders of Germany, France, Italy, the United Kingdom, and Canada.

"Even on that breezy beach walk we were just talking about, the president was on his cell phone during a portion of that," Hoff told Fox News.

Elsewhere, Secretary of State Antony Blinken has demanded that Hamas release all the hostages which were captured during the October 7 attacks, while being wary of the Islamist's group's assurance that they will free more.

"We're hopeful that more [will be] released. But the bottom line is this: They need to be released. Each and every one of them. Now. Unconditionally," Blinken told NBC News' Meet The Press on Sunday.

"Acts are what speak, not words, particularly from Hamas," he added.

Update 10/24/2023, 3:50 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from White House Deputy Press Secretary Andrew Bates.

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