Biden cancels trip to Italy, meant as final foreign visit of presidency, as fires rage in California
President Joe Biden canceled the final overseas trip of his presidency on Wednesday, just hours before he was due to depart for Rome and the Vatican, opting to remain in Washington to monitor the response to the devastating fires in California.
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden canceled the final overseas trip of his presidency on Wednesday, just hours before he was due to head to Rome and the Vatican, opting to remain in Washington to monitor the response to the attacks. devastating fires rage in California.
Biden was scheduled to leave next Thursday afternoon praising former President Jimmy Carter at a memorial service in Washington before the three-day trip to meet with Pope Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The trip was intended as a coda to the second Catholic U.S. president’s time in the White House and a final chance to showcase the strength of U.S. alliances before he leaves office on Jan. 20.
The trip cancellation announcement comes just hours after Biden departed Los Angeles following a meeting his first great-grandchildwho was born Wednesday at an area hospital. He received a briefing from local fire officials before returning to Washington, as smoke and ash from fires raging in the area clouded the daytime sky.
“After returning this evening from Los Angeles, where earlier today he met with police, firefighters and emergency responders battling the area’s historic fires and approved a major disaster declaration for California, President Biden made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to California. Italy must continue to focus on directing the full federal response in the coming days,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The major Palisades fire started Tuesday morning while Biden was in Los Angeles, and high winds that helped fuel its massive spread forced the president to scrap a planned visit to Thermal. announce two new national monuments.
As he flew back to Washington on Wednesday, Biden approved a federal major disaster declaration for Los Angeles County, allowing federal funding to be made available for temporary housing and home repairs, as well as low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. It also provides additional financial assistance to state and local governments to help cover the costs of fighting and cleaning up after the fires.