Governor Ron DeSantis refuses to talk to Biden and Harris about hurricanes

• Ron DeSantis refuses to speak with Biden and Harris
• The Florida governor did not provide them with details about the hurricanes
• Why didn’t he meet with the president?

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has refused to answer phone calls from U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

These calls were related to Hurricane Helene, which has caused 230 deaths in the southeastern U.S., and Hurricane Milton, which is expected to hit Florida this week.

According to White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, DeSantis only spoke on Sunday with the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Deanne Criswell.

U.S. media outlets, such as NBC, reported in recent hours, citing sources close to DeSantis, that he has refused to take calls from Biden and Harris.

RON DESANTIS REFUSES TO SPEAK WITH BIDEN AND HARRIS ABOUT THE HURRICANES

It is customary for the U.S. president to call governors of states affected by natural disasters to coordinate relief efforts.

In a White House press briefing, Jean-Pierre defended the administration’s efforts, stating they are fulfilling their duty to assist Americans affected by Hurricane Helene and those now preparing for Hurricane Milton.

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«If you have the president and the vice president trying to offer assistance to your constituents, the people living in your state,» she said.

«To make sure we are doing everything we can and reaching out, offering our support, it’s up to the governor to decide whether or not he wants to respond.»

Why didn’t Ron DeSantis meet with President Joe Biden?

Biden traveled to Florida on Thursday to assess the damage caused by Helene but did not meet with DeSantis.

The governor had plans to visit other parts of the state to assess the hurricane damage, according to the White House at the time.

DeSantis is one of the most prominent figures in the Republican Party.

For years, he was a staunch ally of Donald Trump, who will face Harris in the November 5th election, although their relationship soured when the Florida governor competed in the party’s primaries, which Trump ultimately won.

What happened with Trump in this matter?

Trump himself has spread misinformation about the federal government’s response to the hurricanes.

Last week, he claimed that the administration wasn’t responding to the destruction and that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp had been trying to reach President Joe Biden by phone but couldn’t get through.

Kemp, a Republican, immediately denied that claim and even praised the federal government’s offer of assistance.

According to a White House statement, Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida on Monday, which means the state will have access to additional federal aid.

What will happen in Florida?

Florida, still recovering from the damage caused by Helene, is preparing for the largest evacuation since 2017 due to the threat of Hurricane Milton.

The hurricane has been classified as a Category 5 storm with winds of 280 kilometers per hour (175 miles per hour).

It is expected to cross nearly the entire state from west to east starting on Wednesday.

WITH INFORMATION FROM EFE.

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