On October 11, 2024, Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, prompting significant federal and state responses. President Biden postponed his scheduled trip to Germany and Angola to coordinate relief efforts, emphasizing full federal support for state search and rescue operations.
In the lead-up to the storm, tensions arose between Governor Ron DeSantis and Vice President Kamala Harris, with DeSantis accusing Harris of politicizing the situation. Despite this, Biden and DeSantis maintained communication regarding the state's assistance needs, with DeSantis acknowledging that the federal government had met those requests.
Biden has expressed willingness to meet with DeSantis over the weekend to assess storm damage. The president also criticized former President Trump for spreading misinformation about the hurricane response, urging him to focus on assisting affected communities instead.
As the storm continues to impact Florida, local residents, including church leaders like Pastor Leo Vollbracht, are preparing for the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, highlighting the community's resilience in the face of natural disasters.