White House fixes President Joe Biden’s ‘Black and Tans’ gaffe made at Windsor pub

US President Joe Biden's Wednesday gaffe at a Windsor pub has been corrected by the White House. In a speech at the pub, Biden confused New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team with the War of Independence-era police force in Ireland that gained notoriety for being extremely violent. An official transcript of the remarks was released on Thursday in which “Black and Tans” was crossed out and replaced with “All Blacks”.

Biden, who is currently on a three-day visit to Ireland, made the error while thanking Rob Kearney, a distant cousin of Biden, for a tie he was wearing. Kearney was part of the Irish rugby team that beat New Zealand. “This was given to me by one of these guys, right here. He was a hell of a rugby player. He beat the hell out of the Black and Tans.”

The famous victory by the Irish rugby team came at Soldier Field in Chicago in 2016.

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Black and Tans was an auxiliary military force that the Irish rebels fought against during the 1919-21 Irish War of Independence.

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The White House also said it was "very clear" to Irish rugby fans that he was referring to the All Blacks New Zealand team. National Security Council senior director Amanda Sloat said: "It was clear what the president was referring to, it was certainly clear to his cousins sitting next to him."

As Biden made the remarks, people present in the pub were shocked. His mistake started trending on social media and everyone started reporting it.

While the international media termed the mistake a “cringeworthy gaffe”, Irish media had a laugh about it, calling it a “delicious gaffe” and one that had left people “in stitches”.

Biden is in Dublin on Thursday where he met Irish President Michael D Higgins who hosted him at his official residence. Later, Biden met Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. Biden will be addressing a joint house of the Irish parliament later on Thursday, becoming the first US leader to do so since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

The Ukraine war will be "high on the agenda" when Biden meets with Irish leaders today, a top US official earlier said. National Security Council senior director Amanda Sloat said the situation in Ukraine will take priority in talks with Irish President Michael D Higgins and Prime Minister Leo Varadkar.

He is due to fly to County Mayo on Friday, where he will tour the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Knock, a Catholic shrine. He will also meet some distant relatives of his.

(With inputs from agencies)

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