Sky News Australia host Rita Panahi has criticised US President Joe Biden's response following a horrific school shooting in Nashville in which he joked about his favourite ice cream with the audience.

President Biden provided ill-timed jokes about chocolate chip ice cream before discussing a recent Nashville elementary school shooting which left three children and three adults dead.

President Biden was hosting the Small Business Administration's Women's Business Summit at the White House on Monday where he made the jokes and then addressed the tragic shooting.

"He did eventually address the issue, but really, surely he would know the gravity of the situation and jokes about ice cream and good looking kids in the audience..." Ms Panahi said.

"He needs the autocue, he needs the cards, he needs so much direction."