The White House announced on Tuesday, October 8th, that President Biden has decided to postpone his visits to Germany and Angola as Hurricane “Milton” approaches Florida.
White House spokesperson Karine Jean-Pierre stated in a press release on Tuesday: “Considering the projected path and intensity of Hurricane ‘Milton,’ President Biden will delay his upcoming trips to Germany and Angola to oversee preparations and response efforts for the hurricane. Additionally, he will monitor the ongoing response efforts to Hurricane ‘Helene’ in the southeastern region.”
Biden was originally scheduled to depart on Thursday for a two-day visit to Germany, which included a meeting with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin and a summit with other international leaders, including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, to discuss the situation in Ukraine. Following that, the President was set to visit the Angolan capital Luanda next Monday to meet with Angolan President João Lourenço, marking Biden’s commitment to visit Africa before leaving office.
It is currently unclear when the White House will reschedule Biden’s itinerary.
Hurricane “Milton” is currently a Category 4 hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico and is expected to make landfall along the Florida Gulf Coast on Wednesday and Thursday. The powerful storm surge could cause significant damage in the densely populated Tampa Bay area, marking the first direct hit by a major hurricane in the region in over a century.
Hurricane “Milton” slightly weakened on Tuesday, but is still projected to make landfall on the Florida coast at Category 3 hurricane strength, with wind speeds reaching between 111 and 129 miles per hour.
On Tuesday morning, Biden received briefings on the federal government’s response to Hurricane “Helene” and preparations for Hurricane “Milton,” and will address both hurricanes in his remarks.
A spokesperson for the German government stated that the White House informed Chancellor Scholz of the cancellation of Biden’s trip to Germany prior to the announcement.