The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
The Spokesman-Review Newspaper The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883
Current Temperature
56°F
Current Conditions
Clear sky
View complete weather report

Color Scheme

Subscribe now

White House calls to offer storm support, but can’t get Florida governor on the phone

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at a watch party during the 2024 Iowa Republican presidential caucuses in West Des Moines, Iowa, on Jan. 15. (Getty Images)
By Alexandra Glorioso, Lawrence Mower and Danielle Battaglia Tampa Bay Times

With one hurricane in the rearview and another on the horizon, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has been working directly with the Federal Emergency Management Agency, but apparently leaving the White House on hold.

On Monday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged during a briefing in Washington, D.C., that the president and vice president had yet to speak to DeSantis since Hurricane Helene hit the state as a Category 4 storm on Sept. 26. But it’s not for lack of trying , she said.

President Joe Biden called Florida’s governor on Sept. 29, but the governor said he missed the call because he was in the air over Florida’s Big Bend touring the damage. DeSantis declined an invite to meet the president when Biden flew into Tallahassee last week, with the governor explaining that he’d set up an event regarding storm recovery in the Tampa Bay area.

DeSantis ignored calls from Vice President Kamala Harris, NBC News reported .

Jean-Pierre confirmed the president and vice president had “made outreach, regarding, certainly Hurricane Helene,” but wouldn’t address why the White House had been unable to connect with the governor.

When asked by the Herald/Times Tallahassee Bureau about Jean-Pierre’s comments, DeSantis said he wasn’t aware of any phone calls from the White House.

“Biden called me a couple days ago with Helene when I was on the helicopter,” he said. “I’m not aware he’s tried to call since then. Certainly didn’t call my phone, so I don’t know quite where they’re getting that information.”

Harris responded Monday, saying “moments of crisis, if nothing else, should really be the moment that anyone who calls themselves a leader says they’re going to put politics aside and put the people first.”

DeSantis has been in direct contact with Federal Emergency Management Director Deanne Criswell.

“The good thing is that the FEMA administrator was able to connect with the governor yesterday,” Jean-Pierre said.

_____

(Miami Herald staff writer Max Greenwood contributed to this report.)

_____