Joe Biden’s arrival in New York City caused traffic chaos on Sunday evening as he took his family to dinner at a swanky Italian restaurant where Alec Baldwin is a regular.
The president’s Air Force One landed at JFK ahead of the UN General Assembly conference early next week, where climate change, poverty and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will be top of the agenda.
But his first port of call was Il Cantinori in Noho, where he enjoyed a meal with his family to celebrate his granddaughter Finnegan’s 23rd birthday.
The president was pictured leaving the restaurant with his daughter Ashley Biden, 42, who led him by the hand as they were flanked by bodyguards around 8 p.m. on Sunday.
First Lady Jill Biden followed them, waving and smiling at the crowd who took out their phones to capture the moment.
Biden’s trip downtown caused heavy traffic as police blocked roads in busy parts of Manhattan, allowing the president’s motorcade to travel from the heliport to the upscale hotspot, where he received a standing ovation from patrons.
Joe Biden has arrived in New York City ahead of the UN meeting, amid a growing cacophony of criticism over his handling of the Big Apple’s migrant crisis
New York City is struggling to cope with the overwhelming numbers of migrants arriving each month, with many forced to sleep on the streets while awaiting processing
As 10,000 refugees continue to pour into the city every month, Mayor Eric Adams (pictured) warned that the problem now threatens to ‘destroy’ New York City
But after enjoying the family affair, Biden may want to avoid his colleagues at town hall next week as they continue to criticize him at every opportunity over his handling of the migrant crisis.
About 10,000 refugees pour into New York every month, and Mayor Eric Adams warned the problem now threatens to “destroy” the city.
He blamed a lack of federal aid, a “broken” nationwide immigration system and Republicans bringing refugees from their own states to the city for the emergency.
Meanwhile, the Biden administration has thrown the humanitarian issue back to local officials like a hot potato, accusing them of having “no exit strategy” for processing thousands of people.
Former New York Senator Hillary Clinton has also weighed in on the issue, urging Biden to do more to help the beleaguered Big Apple.
Two sources close to Clinton report this NBC New York she agrees with Adams’ assessment of the problem: a lack of help from the White House is to blame.
But the president’s attention at the UN summit will be focused on global issues, including the war in Ukraine, with Zelenskyy taking center stage.
For the first time in years, Biden will be the only leader from the five powerful countries with veto power on the UN Security Council to attend in person.
The president traveled from the White House to New York via Air Force One on Sunday evening, causing a major traffic jam as his motorcade made its way from JFK to downtown.
Protesters in New York gather ahead of the UN General Assembly, which will open in the city on September 19, 2023
Department of Homeland Security officials have criticized the mayor’s office for having “no exit strategy” for the 10,000 refugees the city receives each month
This has led to private grumbling from diplomats from developing countries that key global players will not listen to their demands, which would require billions of dollars to implement.
The conference also comes as a recent UN report warned that members are not on track to meet the climate targets of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Tens of thousands of people flooded the streets of New York on Sunday to call for more action on climate change ahead of the rally.
Protesters from about 700 organizations and activist groups carried signs reading “Biden, end fossil fuels” and “I didn’t vote for fires and floods,” after a summer marked by multiple climate change-related disasters.
“We are here to demand that the government declare a climate emergency,” said Analilia Mejia, director of the activist group Center for Popular Democracy.
“We need to wake up and take immediate action,” she told AFP.
A UN climate report released this month sets 2025 as the deadline for reaching a peak in global greenhouse gas emissions – followed by a sharp decline thereafter – if humanity is to limit global warming in line with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.
Later on Sunday, the streets of New York City were closed again, this time due to traffic congestion, as central highways were closed to the president’s motorcade.
Motorists were furious about the traffic chaos on Twitter. “F*** the United Nations, New York and crackhead Mayor Adams are causing traffic chaos and complete gridlock on Sunday,” a man named Jonathan said angrily.
Biden may want to avoid his colleagues at town hall next week as they continue to criticize him at every opportunity over his handling of the refugee crisis
Motorists were furious about the traffic chaos on Twitter. “F*** the United Nations, New York and crackhead Mayor Adams causing traffic chaos and complete gridlock on Sunday,” a man named Jonathan said angrily
“They block streets, bridges and tunnels while they escort, fast lane and lay the red carpet for outsiders with a police note of ‘use public transport’ for you farmers.”
Another man wondered how much more pollution closing the streets would cause in the run-up to the climate summit.
“Maybe he should have taken the JFK skytrain,” he said.
“F*** YOU to the UN in NYC for DESTROYING the traffic along 1st and taking an almost two hour 40 minute bus ride,” one frustrated passenger chimed in.