When he travels to Florida during Hurricane Ian, President Joe Biden will meet with Governor Ron DeSantis.
On Wednesday morning, Biden and First Lady Jill Biden boarded Air Force One and headed to Fort Myers, one of the worst-hit places in the state. While he and First Lady Jill Biden evaluate the storm’s damage, Biden will meet with the governor, a Republican who is frequently his political rival. In Fort Myers.
According to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, Biden will also visit with local people and small business owners who have been impacted by the historic storm and express his gratitude to the authorities who are rescuing lives, attempting to restore power, and clearing debris.The President will also receive an operational briefing on the ongoing response and recovery operations from Governor DeSantis, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, and other state and local officials, Jean-Pierre told the press.
Before his arrival, the White House predicted that Biden will declare a plan to extend from 30 to 60 days the period during which the federal government will pay for all expenses associated with search and rescue, debris clearance, housing, and other emergency response.When asked if DeSantis would accompany Biden for press conferences, Jean-Pierre dodged the question by stating that the governor had a “full schedule” and she couldn’t speak to “where he’ll be at every turn.”
The two will finally meet in person on Wednesday for the first time since DeSantis gave the order for migrants to be flown from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, which Jean-Pierre later criticized as a “political gimmick.”
There will be plenty of time to debate the differences between the president and the governor, but right now is not the time, she continued, adding that “the president has obviously voiced his displeasure and fury at the stunt.”Biden and DeSantis have temporarily put politics aside in response to Hurricane Ian, which is shaping up to be one of Florida’s deadliest and costliest storms in decades. Ian made landfall as a Category 4 storm, leveling the coast and knocking out millions of power. At least 100 people have died in the storm.
President Joe Biden delivers a speech alongside First Lady Jill Biden at the Port of Ponce, Puerto Rico on October 3, 2022.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
Biden and DeSantis leaders spoke multiple times before and after the storm as Biden made emergency statements. On Saturday, Biden signed a declaration of a major disaster for the state that will provide more funding to help Florida’s recovery.
“As I have made clear, at times like this, our nation comes together, puts aside our political differences and gets to work,” Biden said Monday while discussing his upcoming trip. “We show up when we’re needed. Because if we lose our home, if we lose a loved one, we would hope that people would show up for us too.”
