Biden curses Fox News reporter after he asks about inflation

U.S. President Joe Biden was caught on a hot mic cursing a Fox News reporter at a White House event on Monday after the journalist shouted a question about the impact of rising inflation on this year's congressional elections.

As journalists were ushered out of a meeting of Biden's Competition Council, Peter Doocy, a White House correspondent with whom Biden regularly spars, asked if it was OK to ask about inflation and if it was a political liability.

"That's a great asset, more inflation," Biden responded sarcastically over a din of reporters shouting questions, apparently not realizing his microphone was still on. "What a stupid son of a bitch," he added.

U.S. consumer prices increased solidly in December, culminating in the largest annual rise in inflation in nearly four decades.