Appearing for an interview on Fox News on Tuesday night, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis praised President Joe Biden for his prompt assistance as Hurricane Ian is due to hit the state.
Speaking with host Sean Hannity, DeSantis said he is “very thankful” to Biden while discussing a phone call the pair had about preparations for Hurricane Ian, including the government providing federal assistance.
The Category 4 storm, which has already left all of Cuba without power, is expected to make landfall as category 5 in Florida around Wednesday afternoon or early evening.
Biden also spoke to three Florida mayors on Tuesday as Ian approached the state.
When Hannity asked about the call with Biden, DeSantis said: “What I said today is my phone line is open when people’s lives and their property are at risk like this.
“We all need to work together regardless of party lines. The Biden administration has approved our request for a pre-landfall declaration and did that very quickly. So we’re thankful for that.”
DeSantis said that there will be more requests for federal assistance, especially for Floridians that may have been displaced by the major storm.
“And it’s my sense that the administration wants to help. I think they realize that this is a really significant storm,” DeSantis said. “We’re working with the locals. We work very well with them. Of course, the state level, but we really need everyone working together to make sure people have their needs tended to.”
Watch the interview below:
On Hannity, Ron DeSantis says he's "thankful" for Biden's help with the Hurricane Ian response pic.twitter.com/trANvyIRy7
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 28, 2022