On the same day that Donald Trump toured flood damage in Louisiana, the White House announced that President Obama, too, will visit the flood zone Tuesday.
The president and his team decided the visit to Baton Rouge next week, after his two-week vacation on Martha’s Vineyard, was the “appropriate time” to tour the flood damage, the White House said Friday.
“The president is mindful of the impact that his travel has on first responders and wants to ensure that his presence does not interfere with ongoing recovery efforts,” the White House said. “He is also eager to get a firsthand look at the impact of the devastating floods, hear from more officials about the response, including how the federal government can assist and tell the people of Louisiana that the American people will be with them as they rebuild their community and come back stronger than ever.”
Mr. Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, toured the flood zone Friday and said Mr. Obama should do so, too. Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards criticized Mr. Trump for holding a “photo op,” but some residents said they were impressed that he was showing more interest than the president in their plight.
A leading state newspaper slammed Mr. Obama Thursday for failing to interrupt his vacation to visit the flood damage.
Mr. Obama received an update Friday from Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson about the flooding.
• Dave Boyer can be reached at dboyer@washingtontimes.com.
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