As Florida prepares for Hurricane Milton, Vice President Kamala Harris has accused Governor Ron DeSantis of playing politics by ignoring her calls about storm recovery. Harris criticized DeSantis for failing to prioritize Floridians amid the ongoing crises, branding his actions as selfish political maneuvering.
DeSantis, however, denied receiving any calls from the vice president and slammed her for politicizing the situation. The dispute follows Hurricane Helene’s recent impact on Florida, further intensifying their long-standing political rivalry.
Kamala Harris is not the president! She isn’t even attending the daily FEMA meetings, she is instead on a political tour of softball interviews like The View!DeSantis has spoken to Biden. He’s the president. Kamala is trying to make it political. This hurricane could be… pic.twitter.com/xjrJ6v5KPq
— The Silent Majority (@siIentmajority) October 8, 2024
In a statement Monday, Harris expressed her frustrations with DeSantis for reportedly not answering her outreach regarding federal assistance. "Playing political games at this moment in these crisis situations — these are the height of emergency situations — is just utterly irresponsible," Harris said before departing for New York. According to an NBC report, an aide claimed DeSantis refused to take her calls, an accusation Harris echoed without explicitly confirming.
DeSantis hit back during his appearance on Fox News' Sean Hannity show, dismissing Harris’ involvement and claiming she was the one trying to inject politics into the hurricane response. "She’s the first one who is trying to politicize the storm," DeSantis told Hannity. He went on to point out that Harris had not reached out during prior hurricanes, accusing her of playing into campaign politics.
Ron DeSantis just took Kamala Harris to the cleaners this morning on Fox News.
Absolutely brutal takedown. pic.twitter.com/PNE3OVaNj7
— Dustin Grage (@GrageDustin) October 8, 2024
Amid the back-and-forth, President Joe Biden successfully reached DeSantis to discuss recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene and preparations for the impending Hurricane Milton. The White House reported Biden encouraged DeSantis to contact him directly for any necessary support, a stark contrast to the friction between the vice president and the governor.
DeSantis later referenced this conversation during his Fox News interview, highlighting his working relationship with both Biden and former President Donald Trump during natural disasters.
This is not the first time DeSantis and Biden’s administration have clashed following a major storm. Last year, after Hurricane Idalia hit, DeSantis similarly skipped a scheduled tour of storm damage with Biden. This recent spat only further illustrates the tensions between the governor and the administration, with the 2024 presidential election looming large over the disagreement.
As Florida faces the brunt of Hurricane Milton’s arrival, the spotlight on the DeSantis-Harris feud continues to grow. Political observers speculate that Harris’ remarks may be tied to her presidential ambitions, while DeSantis uses the situation to rally his conservative base. Both figures remain steadfast in their positions, with the people of Florida caught in the middle as they brace for yet another natural disaster.
