ST. PETE BEACH, Florida — President Biden visited Florida for the second time in recent weeks to assess the damage from Hurricane Milton, which significantly impacted the state’s west coast.
Arriving in Tampa early Sunday morning, Biden was joined by federal and local officials and later took a helicopter to St. Pete Beach, a barrier island that suffered substantial destruction from the storm.
While Hurricane Milton caused less overall damage than initially anticipated, communities such as St. Pete Beach and areas around Tampa are still grappling with the aftermath of previous storms, including Hurricane Helene.
“For some individuals, it was cataclysmic,” Biden stated during his address, highlighting the personal losses experienced by many residents, including homes, loved ones, and personal belongings.
Biden’s motorcade traveled through the devastated neighborhoods of St. Pete Beach before he addressed residents, noting the extensive destruction with entire buildings demolished and debris littering the streets. A hotel sign that read “come as a guest, leave as a friend” was found toppled.
Part of Biden’s visit included an announcement of $612 million in funding for six Department of Energy projects aimed at enhancing the resilience of electric grids in hurricane-affected areas. This includes $94 million allocated for two projects in Florida, specifically for Gainesville Regional Utilities and Switched Source, which are collaborating with Florida Power and Light to modernize infrastructure.
As of 3 p.m. ET, approximately 850,000 customers in Florida were still without power, a significant decrease from more than 3 million who lost service when Hurricane Milton struck.
Biden delivered his speech in front of a toppled building along Gulf Blvd., a main thoroughfare in St. Pete Beach.
In response to criticisms from former President Donald Trump and others, Biden emphasized that disaster relief should be a bipartisan issue, stating, “We are one United States.” He countered unfounded claims regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) funding for hurricane recovery, amid allegations concerning spending on migrants and foreign conflicts.
This past Friday, Biden issued a Major Disaster Declaration for Florida, unlocking federal funding to assist residents and businesses with temporary housing, home repairs, and low-cost loans for uninsured property losses. He directed FEMA to open 10 disaster recovery centers throughout the state for residents needing federal assistance.
Notably absent from Biden’s visit was Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has recently been embroiled in disputes with Vice President Kamala Harris over hurricane relief efforts.
Reports indicate that DeSantis did not accept Harris’ call regarding hurricane relief, an allegation he has denied, stating that she was attempting to “politicize the storm.” Harris, in turn, characterized DeSantis as “utterly irresponsible” and “selfish.”
