President Joe Biden said he will be going to Florida on Saturday morning in the wake of damage caused by Hurricane Idalia.
Biden’s previously unscheduled Florida trip will cut into his planned getaway time at his Delaware beach home in Rehoboth. The president has spent over 20% of 2023 in Delaware and had a two week-long vacation in August.
“I am going to Florida Saturday morning,” Biden told reporters Thursday after delivering remarks at the FEMA headquarters. Biden also mentioned his coordination with Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell in delivering hurricane recovery. (RELATED: Warnings Issued As Tropical Storm Idalia Makes Her Way North)
The president will “visit the areas most impacted by the hurricane,” Homeland Security Advisor Dr. Liz Sherwood-Randall said at a press briefing at the White House.
A reporter pressed White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Biden’s weekend plans Wednesday.
“Will the President stay in Washington this weekend, given what’s going on in Florida? We don’t know the extent of damage. The week ahead had him leaving on Friday to go home to Rehoboth for the weekend,” the reporter asked.
“The situation is still very dynamic. I don’t have any changes or any additions to the President’s travel. You’re going to hear from the President directly who is going to speak about the continued efforts to prepare and respond to Hurricane Idalia,” Jean-Pierre responded, noting Biden had already spoken with DeSantis and Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp.
The president called DeSantis again Thursday morning “to convey that he has signed a Major Disaster Declaration and ordered all available federal resources to help with the continued response to Tropical Storm Idalia,” the White House said. “The President reiterated that the people of Florida have his full support as they recover from the storm.”