President Joe Biden has postponed his overseas trip this week due to Hurricane Milton, according to two sources familiar with the planning.
Biden was scheduled to depart for Berlin on Thursday and then travel to Angola, returning to the U.S. on Oct. 15. It would mark the first time Biden would travel to the African continent as president.
“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, in addition to the ongoing response to the impacts of Hurricane Helene across the Southeast,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement.
In Angola, Biden was slated to meet with President João Lourenço to discuss shared priorities and partnerships including climate security, transitioning to clean energy and strengthening democracy and civic engagement, the White House said when it announced the trip last month.
The visit, the White House said, “celebrates the evolution of the U.S.-Angola relationship, underscores the United States’ continued commitment to African partners, and demonstrates how collaborating to solve shared challenges delivers for the people of the United States and across the African continent.”
The storm is expected to make landfall along the west coast of Florida on Wednesday. Residents there are still reeling from the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene last month.
This is a developing story.
