President Joe Biden will journey to Florida on Sunday to see firsthand the injury from Hurricane Milton, the second of two highly effective storms which have battered the state in current weeks and have become a political difficulty within the 2024 election.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have sought to guarantee voters — particularly these devastated by the storms — that they’re doing all they’ll to assist with the response and restoration efforts, searching for to counter claims from Republican former President Donald Trump that the administration will not be doing sufficient.
The White House introduced Biden’s journey plans in an announcement on Friday.
Also learn | Obama’s triple diss to Harris camp’s lack of ‘power’, Black males opposing ‘a lady as president’ and Trump
The president lambasted Trump on Wednesday for what he stated had been “outright lies” in regards to the federal response, singling out unfounded claims about how a lot help was being provided to victims. Harris has additionally accused Trump and Republican critics of spreading misinformation and warned that it threatens to undercut efforts to assist communities in want.
An earlier storm — Helene, which struck the US southeast final month and tore throughout a number of states, together with the battlegrounds of Georgia and North Carolina — noticed the 2 presidential candidates shift their journey plans and go to affected areas searching for to persuade voters they’d be finest ready to deal with such disasters.
Biden has additionally sought to rebut Trump’s assertions that the White House will not be appearing forcefully to handle the disasters. Earlier this month, Biden visited 4 states — together with Florida — within the aftermath of Helene, which introduced heavy rains and flooding that killed greater than 230 individuals.
The president has additionally held each day briefings and spoken from the White House this week forward of Milton and within the aftermath of the storm, together with urging Congress to return early from a pre-election recess to move further help. House Speaker Mike Johnson discounted that concept Thursday, that means neogtiations over funding are unlikely earlier than November’s election.
Also learn | Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds observe in bestie Taylor Swift’s footsteps and donate to Hurricane Helene, Milton reliefs
The full scope of Milton’s destruction gained’t be identified for days. While the storm surge was decrease than feared, Milton’s excessive winds and rain destroyed properties and crops and left tens of millions with out energy. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated the loss of life toll stood at 10 throughout a briefing Thursday.
It’s unclear if Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis will meet with Biden through the go to. DeSantis joined the president in 2022 once they surveyed the injury from one other highly effective storm, Hurricane Ian, and in 2021 after the Surfside constructing collapse.
They didn’t meet when Biden visited the state earlier this month however the president stated the 2 have spoken by telephone to handle Milton. DeSantis sought the GOP presidential nomination this cycle earlier than dropping out and endorsing Trump.
This article was generated from an automatic information company feed with out modifications to the textual content. Only the headline was edited.