Biden meets with DeSantis in Florida to assess hurricane damage


President Biden visited Florida on Wednesday to meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and assess the damage caused by Hurricane Ian.
The storm hit Florida last week as a Category 4 hurricane and caused devastating damage, with state and local officials reporting at least 100 deaths, per The New York Times.
The two political rivals called a temporary truce to survey the state. DeSantis and his wife greeted the president and first lady Jill Biden before an operational briefing and an aerial tour of the area. President Biden also met with local residents about the damages, reported ABC News.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
After assessing the ruin, President Biden promised to provide the area with long-term federal aid, CNN reported. He also referenced the 4,000 personnel on the ground, as well as the assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Further, the president touted how he pushed the Small Business Administration to speed up the processing of disaster loans, and vowed that the government would cover 100 percent of the cost of storm clean-up, added CNN. DeSantis said in a press conference that Florida is "fortunate to have good coordination with the White House and FEMA from the very beginning of this."
"We have a long road ahead of us," Biden said, "rebuilding entire communities from the ground up."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
-
5 weather-beaten cartoons about the Texas floods
Cartoons Artists take on funding cuts, politicizing tragedy, and more
-
What has the Dalai Lama achieved?
The Explainer Tibet’s exiled spiritual leader has just turned 90, and he has been clarifying his reincarnation plans
-
Europe's heatwave: the new front line of climate change
In the Spotlight How will the continent adapt to 'bearing the brunt of climate change'?
-
Trump set to hit Canada with 35% tariffs
Speed Read The president accused Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney of failing to stop the cross-border flow of fentanyl
-
Mahmoud Khalil files $20M claim over ICE detention
Speed Read This is the 'first damages complaint' brought by an individual targeted by the Trump's administration's 'crackdown' on Gaza war protesters
-
Trump threatens Brazil with 50% tariffs
Speed Read He accused Brazil's current president of leading a 'witch hunt' against far-right former leader Jair Bolsonaro
-
AI scammer fakes Rubio messages to top officials
Speed Read The unknown individual mimicked Rubio in voice and text messages sent to multiple government officials
-
SCOTUS greenlights Trump's federal firings
speed read The Trump administration can conduct mass federal firings without Congress' permission, the Supreme Court ruled
-
New tariffs set on 14 trading partners
Speed Read A new slate of tariffs will begin August 1 on imports from Japan, South Korea, Thailand and more
-
Elon Musk launching 'America Party'
Speed Read The tech mogul promised to form a new political party if Trump's megabill passed Congress
-
'It's America that refuses to listen and learn'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day