On Wednesday, while visiting Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian, President Joe Biden will have a meeting with Governor Ron DeSantis.
As he and first lady Jill Biden inspect the storm’s devastation in Fort Myers, Biden will meet with the Republican governor, who has frequently been a political rival, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
Biden will speak with locals affected by the historic storm and small business owners there, according to Jean-Pierre. He will also express his gratitude to the authorities who are rescuing lives, attempting to restore power, and clearing debris.
According to Jean-Pierre, the president will also receive an operational briefing on the ongoing response and recovery activities from Governor DeSantis, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, and other state and local officials.
When asked if DeSantis would accompany Biden for any public speeches, Jean-Pierre dodged the question by stating that the governor has a “full schedule” and she was unable to comment on “where he’s going to be at every step of the way.”
Wednesday’s visit will be the first face-to-face encounter between Biden and DeSantis since the governor ordered migrants flown from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, which Jean-Pierre continued to blast as a “political stunt.”
There will be plenty of time to discuss the differences between the president and the governor, but right now is not the time, she continued, adding that “obviously the president put out his worries and outrage by the stunt.”
In order to respond to Hurricane Ian, which is expected to be one of Florida’s deadliest and most expensive storms in decades, Biden and DeSantis temporarily set politics aside. Ian, a Category 4 storm that made landfall and flattened the coast, cut off power to millions of people. The storm is believed to have killed at least 100 people.
Before and after the storm, Biden and DeSantis held numerous conversations as Biden declared a state of emergency. The state’s major catastrophe was declared on Saturday by Biden, opening up extra cash for Florida’s recovery.
