WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden will meet with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis when he travels to Florida on Wednesday to survey damage done by Hurricane Ian, the White House said Tuesday.
Biden will receive an “operational briefing” from the governor and FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, along with other state and local officials, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
The meeting will be the culmination of a political detente from Biden and DeSantis, who over the last week have put aside their political rivalry to help coordinate federal and state recovery efforts. The president and governor have spoken by phone several times since the storm’s approach last week, and White House officials have broadly praised the response to the hurricane at all levels of government.
Jean-Pierre said although the president continues to disagree with DeSantis’ decision to send migrants on a plane to Martha’s Vineyard last month, he will not be discussing the matter with him on Wednesday.
“There will be plenty of times to discuss differences between the president and the governor,” she told reporters. “Now is not the time.”
Biden will arrive at the Southwest Florida Regional Airport in Fort Myers on Wednesday.
The Republican governor and Democratic president have met before. Biden and DeSantis met last year, after the president traveled to Florida to see the damage done by the Surfside building collapse.
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