CNN’s Jake Tapper Surprised That Biden's ‘Big Announcement’ on Gaza Ceasefire Was Made at this Place

When President Joe Biden broke some significant news about a potential ceasefire and hostage agreement in Gaza while having an ice cream cone at an ice cream parlor with late-night presenter Seth Meyers, CNN's Jake Tapper was a little shocked.

On the February 26 episode of The Lead With Jake Tapper on CNN, Tapper played a clip of Biden answering a reporter's query, “Could you give us a sense when you think a ceasefire will start?” Biden answered, per Mediaite. “I hope by the beginning of the weekend, I mean the end of the weekend. My national security adviser tells me that we’re close, we’re close. It’s not done yet. And I hope that, by next Monday, we’ll have a ceasefire.”

Tapper was visibly shocked that Biden would relay such important information as he ate an ice cream cone. Tapper then presented MJ Lee, a reporter, in the White House, saying, “MJ, that’s a big announcement for the president to be given in an ice cream shop.”

On February 25, Biden stopped into Van Leeuwen's ice cream store in New York City following the taping of his appearance on Late Night With Seth Meyers, per TIME Magazine. Biden's remarks were met with criticism for their timing and optics.

“Nothing says ‘we're taking this seriously’ like talking about a war that has killed ~30,000 people with an ice-cream cone halfway to your mouth,” said Gregg Carlstrom, the Economist’s Middle East correspondent, slamming Biden in a post on X. “Biden makes impotent gestures in the general direction of geopolitical affairs that illustrate only his lack of control over them while eating an ice cream cone. This man owns his brand,” journalist Noah Rothman said on X.

Gaza's health officials report that at least 29,782 Palestinians have died in Gaza. Around 1,200 Israelis lost their lives as a result of the Hamas strikes on October 7. Biden's remarks coincide with information that indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas are making headway. However, Israel has not responded to the negotiations, and Hamas representatives have stated that a deal is not as close as Biden's statements imply, according to the BBC.

Many other critics slammed the timing of this announcement, as Michigan, a battleground state with the largest Arab American community in America lines up for primaries. “Biden drops the ceasefire-by-next Monday teaser on what just happens to be the eve of the Michigan primary, where he's in such trouble with Muslim voters,” Canadian broadcaster Richard Gizbert slammed Biden on X.

In a New York Times op-ed, Dearborn mayor Abdullah Hammoud also attacked Biden, stating that the residents of his city are “haunted by the images, videos and stories streaming out of Gaza.”

Mairav Zonszein, an Israeli-American journalist, also commented on Biden's gesture, slamming him on X, “This appears both irresponsible and with the ice cream cone, tone deaf and tactless.”