U.S. President Joe Biden apparently forget he was miked as he was caught seemingly swearing at a Fox News reporter at a White House event on Monday after the journalist shouted a question about the impact of rising inflation.

Biden was in the East Room of the White House for a meeting of his Competition Council, which is focused on changing regulations and enforcing laws to help consumers deal with high prices. Reporters in the room shouted a number of questions after Biden's remarks.

As journalists were ushered out of the meeting, 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, apparently not realizing his microphone was still on. "What a stupid son of a b****," he added.

U.S. consumer prices increased solidly in December, culminating in the largest annual rise in inflation in nearly four decades, and have hurt the president's public approval.

The president's comments were captured on video and by the microphone in front of him. Doocy laughed it off in a subsequent appearance on his network, joking, "Nobody has fact-checked him yet and said it’s not true."

Within about an hour of the exchange, Biden called Doocy's cell phone to clear the air and said "it's nothing personal, pal," Doocy later told Fox News host Sean Hannity.

Biden took office a year ago pledging to take a hard line on any disrespect among members of his administration.

"If you're ever working with me and I hear you treat another colleague with disrespect, talk down to someone, I promise you I will fire you on the spot... no ifs, ands or buts," Biden told political appointees during a virtual swearing-in ceremony. "Everybody is entitled to be treated with decency and dignity," he said at the time.

Biden's predecessor, Republican Donald Trump, famously attacked reporters at rallies and news conferences, to the delight of many of his supporters.

Doocy, who has long covered Biden, regularly gets called on by the president at events, often asking skeptical and critical questions. Conservative-leaning Fox News has been critical of Biden's presidency and Democrats.

The White House has insisted repeatedly that it is focused on curbing inflation, with Biden reorienting his entire economic agenda around the issue. But the president has also shown a willingness to challenge a media that he deems to be too critical, especially Fox News and Doocy.

At his news conference last week, Biden said to Doocy with sarcasm, "You always ask me the nicest questions."

"I have a whole binder full," the reporter answered.

"I know you do," Biden said. "None of them make a lot of sense to me. Fire away."