President Joe Biden is postponing a planned trip to Germany and Angola to focus on the response to Hurricane Milton, the second major storm in two weeks to impact the US southeast.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced the change to the president’s plans in a statement on Tuesday, citing the “projected trajectory and strength of Hurricane Milton” and the ongoing response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene, which struck the US last month.
Milton, a Category 4 storm barreling toward Florida, is expected to inflict wide damage and put lives at risk. Millions have begun to evacuate Florida’s coastline, including from the city of Tampa.
The decision, coming with less than a month until Election Day, highlights how the administration’s disaster response has become a potential flash point in the race for the White House between Republican former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.
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The trip to Germany and Angola, which was slated to go from Oct. 10-15, would have been Biden’s first trip abroad since he withdrew from the presidential race in July and endorsed Harris. The stops highlighted two of his priorities, shoring up support among allies for Ukraine and expanding US economic and security links in Africa.
Biden is also standing up world leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who were expected to meet him at Ramstein Air Force Base.
The decision also threatens Biden’s ability to fulfil a pledge to visit Africa by the end of his term, a vow intended to showcase Washington’s renewed commitment to the continent. Biden has sought to counter claims that Africa has taken a backseat to other US priorities, seeking to revitalize ties with the continent and push back on growing Chinese and Russian influence there.
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Trump as president in 2019 canceled a trip to Poland as Hurricane Dorian was poised to strike Florida — a state that is also home to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach — sending then-Vice President Mike Pence in his place.
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