New Delhi: US President Joe Biden traveled to Florida to survey the destruction from Hurricane Idalia, but he did not meet with Governor Ron DeSantis, a potential presidential rival, who opted not to come. During his visit on Saturday, Biden comforted the victims of the storm and pledged the federal government’s total support for Floridians, reported news agency Associated Press.
Biden praised DeSantis but said that he was not disappointed by the Republican governor's absence and said DeSantis had helped plan the trip.
Earlier on Friday, DeSantis' spokesperson had said that the governor had no plans to meet Biden, saying "the security preparations alone that would go into setting up such a meeting would shut down ongoing recovery efforts."
After taking an aerial tour and meeting the first responders in Live Oak, a town hit hard by the storm, Biden said, "I’m here today to deliver a clear message to the people of Florida and throughout the Southeast," reported AP.
"As I’ve told your governor, if there’s anything your state needs, I’m ready to mobilize that support," he continued. "Anything they need related to these storms. Your nation has your back and we’ll be with you until the job is done."
Earlier, the mayor of Live Oak thanked Biden and First Lady Jill Biden for coming and “showing us that we’re important to you.”
“Everybody thinks Florida is rich, but this is not one of the richest counties in the state and there are people who are suffering,’' said Frank Davis, adding he knew of no loss of life or serious injury.
Idalia made landfall on Wednesday morning along Florida’s sparsely populated Big Bend region as a Category 3 storm, causing widespread flooding and damage before moving north to drench Georgia and the Carolinas.
After concluding the Florida trip, Biden traveled to his home state of Delaware, where he planned to spend the weekend.