On Thursday, President Joe Biden arrived in Tallahassee, the state capital of Florida, less than a week after the city narrowly evaded a direct impact from Hurricane Helene, which devastated the surrounding coastal counties.
However, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis was reportedly located 300 miles away from him.
During the time that Biden was disembarking from Air Force One in Tallahassee, DeSantis was conducting a press conference at Anna Maria Island, which was severely damaged by the hurricane and is located on the Gulf Coast of Florida, just outside of Tampa.
DeSantis has endeavored to distinguish Florida’s response from that of the federal government since the commencement of recovery efforts, asserting that the state was capable of proceeding at a significantly quicker pace.
In his opening remarks on Thursday, DeSantis referenced the dockworkers’ strike that is currently impacting ports in numerous states, including Florida, by enumerating critical supplies that would be disrupted, including medical equipment, vehicle parts, lumber, and steel.
He urged the Biden administration to advocate for the hurricane victims after listing the actions that Florida was taking.
“It really is incumbent upon the Biden-Harris administration to do everything in their power to ensure that these goods are where we need to be,” DeSantis said.
After a hurricane struck his state, DeSantis withdrew from a meeting with Biden in Florida for the second time on Thursday.
He surprised the White House last year by announcing that he would not take a visit with Biden after Hurricane Idalia hit the Big Bend.
He stated that the security measures encircling the area would be too disruptive for the recovery.
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