Biden postpones trip to Germany and Angola ahead of Hurricane Milton hitting Florida

Hurricane Milton delays President Joe Biden’s overseas trip this week, two sources with knowledge of the schedule say. 

Biden was due to fly to Berlin on Thursday and then on to Angola in southern Africa and was due back in the United States on October 15. It would be the first time for Biden to visit the African continent after taking the presidential seat.

Due to the anticipated path and intensity of Hurricane Milton as well as the continued effects of Hurricane Helene in the southeastern region, President Biden will be delaying his next trip to Germany and Angola to address preparations for Hurricane Milton and response to the effects of Hurricane Helene, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced.

Speaking to reporters on Tuesday Biden reiterated that he will visit those areas before his presidency ends.

The meteorologists and public authorities have spoken about the consequences of Milton and have been insisting on people’s leaving the affected areas of Florida.

Ex President Donald Trump continues to making constant jibes at Biden and Vice Presidential Kamala Harris for not visiting the impact of Helene from the ground aerial viewpoint despite stating that they prefer not to cause any commotion. Biden and Harris visited North Carolina and Georgia a few days after the storm.

Trump has also misled the nation on the current response by this administration to Helene where FEMA has no money because it has to spend on “illegal migrants”. NBC News documented last week that the former president seems to have confused two different FEMA funds, and there is no indication the disaster relief funds have been utilized for other purposes.

In an interview Sunday with ABC’s “This Week,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said that Trump’s comments were “frankly ridiculous and just plain false.” While they have been making their tours to those flooded regions of the country, the president and vice president have expounded on measures that the administration has taken to ensure that the disaster response on the ground has been eased, such as mobilizing Department of Defense personnel to assist the first responders.

The system is to bring the hurricane on the west coast of the Florida state on Wednesday. People there are still mourning their loses and restoring the damages that were occasioned by Hurricane Helene that occurred last month.

Criswell will be in Florida offering technical direction and disaster support to Milton, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told members of the press on Monday. Keith Turi, FEMA’s acting associate administrator, said on Monday the agency “has all the resources which is needed for response to the Helene and Hurricane Milton.”

During his visit to Angola Biden intended to talk to President João Lourenço regarding priorities and cooperation of the two countries with focuses on climate, energy transition, and democratic resilience and civic participation the White House stated when revealing the trip last month.

The State visit, the White House said, “reaffirms the progress of the U.S – Angola relations, reaffirms the commitment of the United States to its African counterparts, and shows how the partnerships achieve solve challenges for the American people and others across the African continent.”

A representative of the German government admitted the cancellation saying: “We are sorry we could not make it, but we do appreciate given the circumstances in Florida. We were told accordingly by the White House.”