President Joe Biden was met with angry criticism when he traveled to Manville, New Jersey, to meet with storm victims on Tuesday.
The president walked through the neighborhood with local New Jersey officials including Sen. Cory Booker, observing the damage caused by record flooding from the remains of Hurricane Ida.
As he walked around the streets littered with storm debris, Biden was soon confronted by angry shouts from people in the area.
Media cameras caught a group of people shouting over the fence at Biden as he met with homeowners in the area. One of them was holding a Donald Trump flag.
“It’s sad. It’s sad that America has come to this. It’s despicable,” a woman shouted.
Another man expressed his frustration that his friend died in Afghanistan only to watch Biden abandon Americans in the country.
“Best friend died in 2011 Afghanistan for what?” he asked. “This guy to pull this shit?”
Others shouted, “Leave no American behind!”
Secret Service agents blocked the group from coming any closer to Biden.
“You shouldn’t be protecting tyrants,” a woman shouted.
Other people in the neighborhood shouted at Biden.
“Go to sleep Sleepy Joe! Pedophile!” another man shouted.
Biden began his journey in the streets wearing both his mask and his aviator sunglasses but soon dangled his mask from his ear as he met with a small boy and gave him a hug. Later, the president shed his mask entirely as he met with more residents in the area.
The president appeared annoyed with the angry shouting, calling them “the people who stand on the other side of the fences who don’t live there….”
Biden also claimed the shouting people opposed action on climate change, despite no evidence to back his assertion. New Jersey is typically a Democrat state but has a vocal group of Trump supporters who made themselves heard.
On occasion, Republican candidates make up political ground in off-election years when a Democrat is president.
A recent Republican consultant poll shows that GOP candidate Jack Ciattarelli is within a three-point lead of current Gov. Phil Murphy (D-NJ).