Lockhart posted his one-word tweet – "Karma?" – in response to a Twitter message by anti-Trump author David Rothkopf asking what the hurricane, California wildfires and the Covid-19 pandemic have in common. Rothkopf answered the question himself by saying President Donald Trump had rejected the science needed to address the crises.

Lockhart’s take suggested not just blame, but deserved punishment. Whether he meant that the death and destruction were payback for America in general or Trump specifically wasn't clear. The comment, however, did not sit well with many denouncing it as tone-deaf, considering that it came at a time people are racing to evacuate ahead of Hurricane Laura and the California fires. 

"Desperate for attention, Joe, or just evil?" one commenter asked.