President Joe Biden on Wednesday cancelled what would have been the final overseas trip of his presidency, opting to stay in Washington to oversee the federal response to the devastating wildfires in California. The decision came just hours before he was set to depart for Rome and the Vatican for a three-day visit.
Biden had been scheduled to leave on Thursday afternoon, following a memorial service in Washington for former President Jimmy Carter. The trip was to include meetings with Pope Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. It was seen as a symbolic conclusion to Biden’s presidency, highlighting the US’s strong alliances ahead of his departure from office on January 20.
The cancellation was announced shortly after Biden returned to Washington from Los Angeles, where he had met his first great-grandchild, born earlier that day, and received a briefing from local fire officials. The blazes raging in the area had filled the sky with smoke and ash, underscoring the scale of the disaster.
“After returning this evening from Los Angeles, where earlier today he had met with police, fire, and emergency personnel fighting the historic fires raging in the area and approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, President Biden made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
The large Palisades Fire, which began Tuesday morning while Biden was in Los Angeles, rapidly spread due to high winds, forcing the president to cancel a planned visit to Thermal to announce two new national monuments.
During his flight back to Washington on Wednesday, Biden approved a federal major disaster declaration for Los Angeles County.
The declaration will provide federal funding for temporary housing, home repairs, and low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses. It will also offer additional financial assistance to state and local governments for firefighting efforts and cleanup operations.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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