Joe Biden snapped at a reporter who tried to ask him about security at Kabul airport on Sunday after spending much of the day paying tribute to 13 fallen service members killed in Afghanistan.
He is under intense pressure to defend his handling of the rapid withdrawal of US forces after 20 years of conflict.
And it showed later in the day after returning to Washington, DC, where he delivered a pep talk to staff at the Federal Emergency Management Agency as Hurricane Ida battered Louisiana.
'I'm not supposed to take any questions, but go ahead,' he said as he turned to the travelling press pool.
'On Afghanistan...' said a reporter before he cut him off.
He snapped: 'I'm not going to answer Afghanistan now.'