President Joe Biden surprised reporters with a personal announcement during a press briefing with California Governor Gavin Newsom about the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires. Speaking from a firehouse in Santa Monica, the 82-year-old president shifted focus from the devastating fires to share that he had become a great-grandfather.
“The good news is, I’m a great-grandfather as of today,” Biden stated, referencing the birth of his eldest granddaughter Naomi Biden Neal’s child. Initially describing the baby as a girl, Biden quickly corrected himself, saying it was a boy. The child, named William Brannon Neal IV, was born on Thursday, according to First Lady Jill Biden’s Instagram post.
The announcement was unexpected in the context of a briefing focused on wildfires that have burned tens of thousands of acres in Los Angeles County. Biden left the event without answering reporters’ questions about the fires or other pressing matters.
Naomi Biden Neal, daughter of Hunter Biden and his ex-wife Kathleen Buhle, welcomed her first child with her husband, Peter Neal. The couple married in 2022 and were introduced in 2018 by a mutual friend.
The president’s family dynamics have often drawn public attention. While the Bidens celebrated the arrival of their great-grandchild, the president has faced scrutiny for his handling of relationships with other family members, including his granddaughter Navy Joan Roberts. Navy, the six-year-old daughter of Hunter Biden and Arkansas resident Lunden Roberts, was publicly acknowledged as part of the Biden family only in 2023, following a paternity suit and child support agreement.
Hunter Biden does not appear to have an active relationship with Navy beyond fulfilling court-ordered financial obligations. President Biden previously stated that family matters, including those involving Navy, should remain private.
The press briefing also addressed the wildfires in Los Angeles County, which have consumed nearly 30,000 acres and forced widespread evacuations. Emergency responders continue to battle multiple fires, including the Kenneth Fire and Palisades Fire, which have destroyed homes and displaced thousands.
