President Trump said Friday his own Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida appears to be “dead center” in the path of Hurricane Dorian but that it can “handle itself.”
He said his main worry is the state of Florida because it’s “not looking good.”
The storm strengthened into a devastating Category 4 storm Friday night. Forecasters are continuing to monitor the storm before it makes landfall this Labor Day weekend.
“You should assume there is going to be power loss if you’re in the path of this storm,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis told residents.
Mr. Trump canceled a trip to Poland to monitor the storm, sending Vice President Mike Pence instead.
The president spoke to reporters as he left the White House for Camp David in Maryland. He will be accompanied by his chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham and Peter Brown, his homeland security and counterterrorism adviser.
SEE ALSO: Dorian becomes a Category 4 monster powering toward Florida
He plans to return Sunday for a briefing at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s headquarters.
Mr. Trump is confronting hurricane season without a permanent FEMA director. The acting director is Pete T. Gaynor.
Mr. Trump says it’s OK to have top aides serving in an acting capacity since it gives him “flexibility.”
“If I like them I make them permanent,” he told reporters.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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