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

DeSantis Refuses Calls From VP Harris on Hurricane Milton, Citing Political Motives

Oct 7, 2024, 07:22 PM

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has declined to take phone calls from Vice President Kamala Harris regarding hurricane recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene and in preparation for the impending Category 5 Hurricane Milton. A DeSantis aide stated, "Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn't answer," explaining that the calls "seemed political." While the governor has communicated directly with the FEMA administrator, he has not spoken with President Joe Biden or Vice President Harris. The White House Press Secretary addressed the situation, saying, "If you have POTUS and VP reaching out to offer up assistance...the governor, it's up to him if he wants to respond to us or not." Vice President Harris criticized DeSantis's refusal to engage, stating that "playing political games with this moment...is just utterly irresponsible and it is selfish." Despite the lack of direct communication, federal officials continue to coordinate with Florida's state emergency teams as the state braces for the massive storm.