President Biden, Gov. DeSantis to meet in Fort Myers to discuss ‘recovery’ efforts following Ian

President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden are headed to Florida Wednesday, scheduled to arrive in Fort Myers in the aftermath of dozens of deaths and a swath of destruction from Hurricane Ian, according to an announcement Tuesday from the White House.

At an event open to media, Biden will meet with Gov. Ron DeSantis to discuss the needs of the victims of the massive storm and offer support to Floridians impacted by the hurricane, according to a White House officials.

The Biden administration is set to arrive at 12:45 p.m. at the Southwest Florida Regional Airport in Lee County, according to the announcement, part of the southwest part of the peninsula where Ian battered the coast.

Karine Jean-Pierre, White House press secretary, stated in an email Tuesday that the president is supporting residents by “making sure that the people of Florida have what they need, especially after Hurricane Ian.”

“We are working as one. And so that is what the president is going to be doing when he’s there in Florida. He’s going to be listening to the people who live there who have lost so much,” Jean-Pierre said. She added that the Republican governor and Democratic president will talk about how Florida can “get to a place of recovery,” and to “a place of rebuilding.”

The president met with DeSantis in Florida a year ago to survey the damage due to the Surfside building collapse, Jean-Pierre said.

“The president and Governor DeSantis listened to the people of Florida who dealt in that community, who dealt with so much lost loved ones,” she said. “And so that’s what you’re going to see again tomorrow.”