 "Biden postpones Germany, Angola trip to oversee response to Hurricane Milton: White House")
US President Joe Biden on Tuesday postponed a trip to Germany and Angola so he can oversee preparations as monster Hurricane Milton bears down on storm-weary Florida, the White House said.
“Given the projected trajectory and strength of Hurricane Milton, President Biden is postponing his upcoming trip to Germany and Angola in order to oversee preparations for and the response to Hurricane Milton,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
He was also coordinating the ongoing response to another hurricane, Helene, which killed more than 230 people and carved a swathe of destruction across the southeastern United States just over a week ago, she said.
The 81-year-old Biden had been due to leave on Thursday for his valedictory trip to key ally Germany, where he was to meet European leaders to shore up support for Ukraine’s fight against Russia.
But leaving as a hurricane approached would have posed severe political risks at home just 28 days before a tight US presidential election.
Republican candidate Donald Trump has already been spreading misinformation about the emergency response by Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee on November 5.
Biden’s trip was one of a series of international swings that he had been planning in the final months of his presidency, after he dropped out in July from the election.
In Germany, Biden had been due to hold a four-way summit with Chancellor Olaf Scholz, French President Emmanuel Macron, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsA state visit in Berlin had also been on the cards.
The US leader had then been due to oversee a bigger international summit of Ukraine’s allies at the Ramstein US military base in southwestern Germany.
After Germany, Biden had then been due to make a long-promised first visit as president to sub-Saharan Africa with his trip to oil-rich Angola.
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