President Biden will then visit parts of Big Bend, Florida on Saturday Hurricane Idalia,
The visit follows the president’s request for an additional $4 billion in disaster response funding from a divided Congress.
The president said he spoke with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis last week amid Idalia. He said that no matter how partisan politics had become, there was no trace of politics in their stormtrooper discussions.
“I think he has confidence in my judgment and my willingness to help, and I am sure he will be able to suggest that this is not about politics,” the president said. associated Press, “It’s about taking care of the people of the state.”
Despite this, DeSantis said Friday that he has no plans to meet with the president while he surveys the land on Saturday.
“In these rural communities, and immediately after impact, the safety preparation it would take to hold such a meeting would itself set off ongoing recovery efforts,” DeSantis spokesman Jeremy Redfern said in a statement obtained by the AP.
DeSantis congratulated Biden after Hurricane Ian hit parts of Florida a year ago. He lauded the president’s efforts, saying he had done a “good job”.
Hurricane Idalia approached Florida’s Gulf Coast on Wednesday as a major Category 3 hurricane, but weakened as it passed through the southeastern US. The storm is being held responsible for at least three deaths.
Last week, the President was in Hawaii with First Lady Jill Biden to tour the damage and meet with survivors of the devastating wildfires in Maui.