The White House is fighting back after DeSantis refuses to return calls from Biden and Harris to restore the storm

CNN
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The White House criticized Ron DeSantis over reports that the Republican governor of Florida rejected calls from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, as officials continue their hurricane recovery efforts and prepare for another hurricane to hit later this week will hit the country.

“It's up to him whether he wants to answer us or not,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters at Monday's news conference.

Harris, a White House official told CNN, has reached out to DeSantis several times in the period since Hurricane Helene hit his state, but the governor has not answered the vice president's calls. When Biden visited Florida last week to inspect storm damage, DeSantis declined to join him and instead held a news conference with reporters four hours south of the area the president was traveling.

“We invited the governor, right, to come and survey the areas of damage with the president – of course we were in Florida, we invited the governor of Florida to come, it was his decision not to come, not attend or not “President,” said Jean-Pierre. “The president took care of Hurricane Helene. He held out his hand. It’s up to the governor, it’s really up to the governor.”

DeSantis told reporters Monday that he was unaware of the vice president's contacts, claiming at a news conference in Tallahassee, “I didn't know she called me.”

The governor said he was grateful to Biden for approving everything they needed so far, adding that he “will not hesitate” to call him if they need additional help.

“We want to utilize every resource available to help Floridians prepare and respond to this storm. But everything we asked of President Biden, he approved, and we believe we will get additional approvals for some of the individual assistance and post-landing debris removal,” DeSantis said.

Harris also responded to reports that DeSantis wasn't answering her calls on Monday, saying: “Moments of crisis should, if nothing else, be the moment when anyone who calls themselves a leader says they will put politics aside and turn to the people.” put first.” .”

“People desperately need support now and playing political games at this moment, in these crisis situations – this is the height of emergencies – is just completely irresponsible and selfish, and it's more about political gamesmanship.” “Do the work “That's what you took an oath to do, which is to put people first,” the vice president told reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews.

CNN has contacted the White House, the Harris campaign and DeSantis' office regarding details of the outreach between Biden, Harris and DeSantis.

NBC News first reported that DeSantis did not return Harris' calls.

It's not the first time Florida's governor has skipped a meeting with Biden after a natural disaster. In 2023, he declined a meeting with Biden on a trip to the state after Hurricane Idalia, even after the president said he had planned a meeting with the Republican governor.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell met with DeSantis on Sunday to discuss preparations for Hurricane Milton, which is expected to hit Florida on Wednesday.

“She talked to him about Milton yesterday,” Jean-Pierre said. “And we will continue to position ourselves locally and support the communities at any time and with whatever they need. That is our obligation.”

Harris on Monday urged people affected by Hurricane Milton to heed warnings from state and local officials, having also just spoken with Criswell.

“I cannot emphasize enough that everyone in Florida and the Tampa area should heed the evacuation orders,” she said. “Please listen to your local officials because I know a lot of people out there have survived these hurricanes before – this one is going to be very, very serious and I urge you to just grab everything you need and “To listen to the orders you receive from your local officials.”

Jean-Pierre insisted that the federal government remains focused on disaster recovery in the state, regardless of whether DeSantis is answering calls from the president or vice president.

“That’s something the governor himself has to say. When you have the president and the vice president working to provide the assistance to your constituents, the people who live in your state, to make sure that we do everything that we need to do in the federal response and we It is It's up to the governor to come forward and offer our support. It’s up to him whether he wants to answer us or not,” she said.

She continued: “But what we're doing is working with state and local officials to make sure that we're prepared, to make sure that we're ready to be there for the communities that are going to be affected – us.” do the work that’s necessary.”

Federal officials, the press secretary said, would provide a “robust whole-of-government” response.

“And everything else I would have to leave to the governor as to how he wants to proceed on this matter. That’s for him, that’s a question for the governor,” she said.

This story has been updated with additional details.

CNN's Kit Maher contributed to this report.

Correction: This story has been updated to reflect exactly where DeSantis held his press conference regarding Biden last week.