Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis pauses attacks on Biden as response to Hurricane Ian takes center stage

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has put aside his political attacks on President Biden as the two leaders work together to cope with the devastation wrought by Hurricane Ian.

With the storm roaring across his state, the Republican presidential contender refused an invitation to trash Biden on Wednesday evening.

“I actually spoke with the president. He said he wants to be helpful,” DeSantis said during an appearance on Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show. “So we did submit a request for reimbursement for the next 60 days at 100%. That’s significant support. It’s a significant storm.”

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (left) and President Joe Biden (right)

DeSantis, known as a fierce political opponent, took the high road, saying leaders have to put politics aside when disaster strikes.

“We live in a politicized time, but when people are fighting for their lives, when their livelihood is at stake, lost everything, if you can’t put politics aside for that, you won’t be able to,” DeSantis said.

“I’ll work with anybody who wants to help the people of southwest Florida and throughout our state,” he added.

Biden said he would visit Florida and meet with DeSantis when “conditions allow.”

“We know many families are hurting,” Biden said at the Washington headquarters of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, where he was briefed on federal response efforts. “Our entire country hurts with them,”

Florida official claims Hurricane Ian death toll could be ‘in the hundreds,’ but DeSantis says ‘none of that is confirmed’

The president spoke to DeSantis personally on Thursday, which he said was the “fourth or fifth time” they have spoken about Ian.

Biden also talked with several Florida mayors and delivered the same message he shared with the governor about the federal government’s commitment to helping with the cleanup and with rebuilding: “We are here.”

“We’re going to do everything we can to provide everything they need,” Biden said, adding that his instruction to them was to call him directly at the White House with their needs. “They know how to do that.”

Biden exasperatedly brushed aside a question about whether political tensions with DeSantis could hamper the storm response.

“This is about saving people’s lives, homes and businesses. That’s what this is about,” he said. “It’s not a matter of my disagreements with him on other items.”