Biden says he'll meet DeSantis on Florida trip, DeSantis' spokesman suggests not

WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden said he will meet with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis when he visits the state on Saturday to survey damage from this week's Hurricane Idalia.

But DeSantis's spokesman, Jeremy Redfern, said there were no plans for the two men to meet, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Biden, a Democrat seeking a second term, has asked for billions of additional emergency funding following a string of severe weather events. DeSantis, a Republican, is seeking his party's nomination to challenge Biden in the November 2024 presidential election.

"In these rural communities, and so soon after impact, the security preparations alone that would go into setting up such a meeting would shut down ongoing recovery efforts," Redfern said, according to the Wall Street Journal.

The White House and Redfern did not respond immediately to a request for comment.