White House officials expressed surprise and disappointment on Saturday when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he would not be meeting with President Biden during his visit to the state. The President had previously stated that he would meet with the governor while touring areas of Florida that were affected by Hurricane Idalia. However, DeSantis’ team contradicted this statement, citing ongoing recovery efforts and security preparations as reasons for not arranging the meeting.
During a press conference on Air Force One, reporters questioned Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Criswell and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre about the situation. The White House had previously stated that an agreed-upon location for the President’s visit had been established and that security preparations were not an issue. However, Jean-Pierre stated that there was no indication that DeSantis would not be present.
Criswell, who had surveyed the damage with DeSantis earlier in the week, stated that the area Biden would be visiting in Live Oak had been mutually agreed upon. She mentioned that Biden had spoken with the governor on the phone, and the operational impacts in the area indicated that it was suitable for the president’s visit. Both officials declined to speculate on whether politics played a role in DeSantis’ decision, considering that he is a potential candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Jean-Pierre stated that DeSantis was welcome to meet with the President if he chose to do so, as the President had spoken with him and there was an understanding of his visit. She emphasized that the President’s presence in disaster-affected communities was not about politics but rather about showing support and being there for the community.
When asked about the difference between this visit and previous meetings between Biden and DeSantis after Hurricane Ian in 2022 and another disaster in 2021, Jean-Pierre directed the question to the governor, emphasizing that the President’s commitment was not dependent on the political affiliation of the state.
At the time of writing, there was no comment from DeSantis’ spokesperson regarding the situation. During a press conference at FEMA headquarters, President Biden announced his intention to visit Florida and called for Congress to pass additional disaster relief funding, increasing his initial request from $12 billion to $16 billion.
DeSantis has remarked that the loss of life and damage from Hurricane Idalia was not comparable to that of Hurricane Ian, which had caused significant devastation and claimed 149 lives in the state. Hurricane Idalia made landfall as a Category 3 hurricane in the Big Bend region, causing extensive damage before downgrading to a tropical storm and moving north to Georgia and the Carolinas.
In conclusion, White House officials were taken aback by Governor DeSantis’ decision not to meet with President Biden during his visit to Florida following Hurricane Idalia. The reasons given by DeSantis’ team were related to ongoing recovery efforts and security preparations. The President and his team were under the impression that the meeting had been agreed upon, but DeSantis’ absence was unexpected. The officials refrained from speculating on political motivations, emphasizing the non-partisan nature of the President’s visit to disaster-affected communities.
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