Official statements from the Vice President's office or Florida Governor's office

DeSantis Rejects Harris's Calls on Category 5 Hurricane Relief, Calls Criticism 'Delusional'

Oct 7, 2024, 07:55 PM

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has refused to take calls from Vice President Kamala Harris regarding hurricane relief efforts ahead of Category 5 Hurricane Milton. DeSantis's office stated that the calls from Harris seemed 'political,' and that he has directly spoken with the FEMA administrator but has not spoken to President Joe Biden yet. Vice President Harris criticized DeSantis's refusal as 'utterly irresponsible' and 'selfish,' emphasizing the importance of setting aside politics during crisis situations. DeSantis responded by labeling Harris's comments as 'delusional,' asserting that she has 'no role' in storm preparation and response, and accusing her of 'politicizing the storm for political gain.' He added that if there is something else needed, he would 'hop on the phone very quickly.' Despite the communication breakdown, federal officials are working with state emergency teams as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida.