US Vice-President Kamala Harris was slammed for breaking into a laughter after she was asked whether America will take in Ukrainian refugees. Many on social media dubbed her reaction as “insensitive.
The incident happened when Harris was speaking alongside Polish President Andrzej Duda at a press conference in Warsaw, where she was demonstrating US support for NATO’s eastern allies. “Is the United States willing to make a specific allocation for Ukrainian refugees?” a journalist is heard asking Harris. “And for President Duda, I wanted to know if you think and if you asked the United States to specifically accept more refugees,” she continued.
Before responding to the question, the two leaders were heard breaking out into laughter. “Okay. A friend in need is a friend indeed,” Harris said from the podium while laughing aloud.
After the leaders awkwardly laughed, they resumed answering the question. Duda confirmed that he had asked Harris to help speed up the consular process so Ukrainian refugees with family in the US could stay with them.
Harris said they have discussed the matter recognising the burden placed on Poland by the “unprecedented” flow of refugees – but stopped short of saying whether the US was committed to taking in a certain number.
More than their answer, it was their laughter that caught the attention of everyone including Republicans. While several Twitter users termed it “shameful”, others defended her saying the two leaders weren’t laughing at the refugees.
Kamala Harris has been very consistent during her live remarks with Poland’s leader. She is awkwardly laughing. Again.
— George Papadopoulos (@GeorgePapa19) March 10, 2022
Kamala Harris’ lack of preparation for high-level discussions is alarming. https://t.co/BXx3yQOixQ
— Dan K. Eberhart (@DanKEberhart) March 10, 2022
Nothing about any of this is funny. https://t.co/2AFDgQFTLo
— Janice Dean (@JaniceDean) March 10, 2022
Because our politicians have no idea what they are doing in Europe right now.
She looked to him so she could avoid answering a question that she can’t answer. As always. https://t.co/F6VWxOG8bc
— Celine Boumitry (@CBoumitry) March 11, 2022
Lives are at stake and US VP always finds the most inopportune time to laugh. 😒 https://t.co/xHxeFnjerX
— Everything Matters (@it_matters_2_me) March 11, 2022
[huh? Laughing? I suppose it is a nervous laugh…but really..] Kamala Harris Laughs When Asked About Ukrainian Refugee Crisis https://t.co/9Mpti3WWjU via @YouTube
— Greta Van Susteren (@greta) March 10, 2022
WTH is @KamalaHarris laughing at? The reporter is asking about helping Ukrainian refugees and Harris burst out cackling. Good grief! https://t.co/6WdjfaxQt2
— Karlene Nation (@OneNationK) March 10, 2022
Please stop laughing during inappropriate moments @KamalaHarris @vp . It makes you and our country look foolish. https://t.co/hSotHRHyYU
— Kat (@Kats_Musings) March 10, 2022
Ukrainians are dying because of failed @POTUS leadership, and @VP is laughing. Shameful! #uspoli #StandWithUkraine #RussianWarCrimes https://t.co/0lsWToWQEY
— Sami Parvez (@BalochSami) March 10, 2022
There’s some context missing here. 15 minutes before this clip, the Poland pres used the “friend in need is a friend indeed” line, causing everyone to chuckle. VP Harris’s comment was a callback to that. You can still argue she should’ve been more somber, but that’s the context. https://t.co/0cCIGKnWF4 pic.twitter.com/BI0CfhslI9
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 10, 2022
No one is, they both laughed at the awkwardness of the language barrier and who should respond and how. It’s like walking down a hall and figuring out which way each other are going to walk while a war is going on. No one laughed at the war. Anything to make a problem, huh? 🙄
— Fill it n’ Spill it! (@AndrewPitzell) March 10, 2022
No surprise: but this is wildly out of context. I was in the room. The @VP and President were laughing about who would speak first amidst simultaneous translations – they were certainly not laughing about refugees. (1/3) https://t.co/n3XRIOJKBZ
— Herbie Ziskend (@HerbieZiskend46) March 10, 2022
So did the polish spokesman! Why didn’t you call both out.
— Monique MacDonald (@memac_donald) March 10, 2022
During her trip, Harris will also meet with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is in Europe this week to meet Ukraine allies. Harris will travel on Friday to Bucharest, where she’s to meet Romanian President Klaus Iohannis.
As Russia invaded Ukraine last month, it led to the fastest-growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II, according to UNHCR. Nearly 2 million people have fled the country – mostly women and children – as men have been barred from leaving the country to defend the war-torn nation.
