President Biden announced Wednesday that he has become a great-grandfather after a news conference about the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles.

“The good news is, starting today, I’m a great-grandfather,” Biden said at a Santa Monica fire station.

The president and first lady Jill Biden had already scheduled a trip to Los Angeles to announce the dedication of two national monuments in California and to expect the birth of their baby. The Bidens’ granddaughter Naomi was scheduled to have a C-section at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center on Wednesday.

Biden told the audience at the fire station that he was at the hospital early in the morning and that Naomi had given birth to a “baby girl” weighing 10 pounds, 4 ounces, before correcting himself to say “baby boy.” Jill Biden later Wednesday I posted a photo on Instagram A photo of himself, the president, and his great-grandson William Brannon Neal IV.

Naomi Biden, daughter of Biden’s son Hunter, marries Peter Neal at the White House ceremony In November 2022.

The president’s announcement seemed to be awkwardly conveyed to the audience. Biden had just received an update from the region’s top public safety officials on the blazes that continue to rage as some of Los Angeles’ most destructive blazes in recent memory. Gov. Gavin Newsom, Sen. Alex Padilla and six other state and local elected officials also attended the briefing.

Biden had just explained how the Hunters received notice on Tuesday that their Malibu home may have burned down, but he said it was still unclear whether that was true. He then moved on to the birth announcement. Biden received polite applause from the crowd.

“I’ll never forget this day for many reasons,” Biden said.

Times staff writer Matt Hamilton contributed to this report.