B-52s won’t play Australian state dinner against backdrop of Israel war

New wave band the B-52s will no longer entertain President Joe Biden‘s guests at the Australian state dinner given recent world events, according to first lady Jill Biden.

“While we had initially planned for the legendary B-52s to perform their iconic dance and party music, we are now in a time when so many are facing sorrow and pain,” the first lady said Tuesday during a state dinner preview.

HOUSING DISASTER THREATENS ECONOMY IN FRONT OF BIDEN’S EYES

The B-52s will now attend as guests, and the President’s Own Marine Band and the Army and Air Force Strolling Strings will provide instrumental music for the dinner.

“The United States and Australia may stand on opposite sides of the globe, different hemispheres, different seasons,” the first lady said. “But despite our distance, we share so much a dedication to democracy, a reverence for freedom, a devotion to a quality, and a love for the natural wonders of our nation.”

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White House national security spokesman John Kirby was pressed earlier Tuesday on the appropriateness of hosting a celebration two weeks after the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel and as approximately 10 Americans remain unaccounted for.

“Being president of the United States means balancing an awful lot of priorities and challenges, whether they’re domestic or foreign,” he said. “But the president is managing it really, really well.”