President Biden said he will travel to Florida on Saturday to tour the destruction wrought by Hurricane Idalia.
Speaking at FEMA headquarters in Washington Thursday, Mr. Biden announced the trip but did not provide details. The White House has not formally announced the trip.
“I’m going to Florida Saturday morning,” Mr. Biden told reporters.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said Thursday that the state has suffered significant damage from the hurricane and that rescue efforts were ongoing.
Mr. Biden said he called Mr. DeSantis before his trip to FEMA on Thursday and had spoken with the governor every day this week in preparation for, and during, the storm.
While the White House has not announced travel details, it is likely Mr. Biden will meet with Mr. DeSantis in Florida. Mr. DeSantis is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nominee and is one of the president’s fiercest critics.
The two have met twice in person — once last year to tour the storm damage after Hurricane Ian, and in 2021 following the collapse of the Surfside condominium.
Homeland Security Adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall told reporters at the daily White House press briefing that she expects Mr. Biden and Mr. DeSantis to meet.
“Every time I have been to Florida with the president, he has met, of course, with Gov. DeSantis and traveled to the disaster zone — whether it was last year’s hurricane or the Surfside collapse,” she said.
“They are very collegial when we have to work together helping Americans in need, citizens of Florida in need,” Ms. Sherwood-Randall said.
Idalia made landfall Wednesday morning as the Category 3 storm hit Keaton Beach on the Gulf Coast, with winds up to 125 mph.
On Thursday, Mr. Biden declared a major disaster for Florida, authorizing federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts. Federal assistance can include grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover property losses, and other programs to help individuals recover from the disaster.
He also called on Congress to act and approve more aid for Florida.
“We’re going to need a whole hell of a lot more money,” Mr. Biden said.
• Jeff Mordock can be reached at jmordock@washingtontimes.com.
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