Florida Governor Ron DeSantis made it clear on Wednesday that he is firmly in charge of hurricane disaster relief efforts in his state, with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) playing a supporting role.
In an interview with Fox News’s Bret Baier, DeSantis emphasized that his administration is taking the lead in coordinating relief efforts, using every available resource at its disposal, including federal government support. He stated that his team has mobilized all state government agencies to work together with local communities to address the crisis.
When asked about President Joe Biden’s comments on “misinformation” surrounding FEMA’s role in the relief efforts, DeSantis shot back that his focus is on getting the job done, not on engaging in politics. “I am using every lever at my disposal, including federal government resources, to manage this process and lead the state through,” he said.
DeSantis also made it clear that FEMA is not in charge of the relief efforts in Florida, contrary to some online claims. “We run the show,” he said. “FEMA is not running the show. We will utilize them to support some of the things we’re doing, but you are not going to see FEMA running amok in Florida.”
The governor’s comments sparked a strong reaction on social media, with many users praising his leadership and commitment to getting the job done. “WHAT A BOSS!!!” and “Now that’s leadership” were just a couple of the responses.
Baier also asked DeSantis about his interactions with Vice President Kamala Harris, who had accused him of politicizing the hurricane relief response by not returning her calls. DeSantis dismissed the claims, saying that Harris had “no role” in the relief efforts and that he was working directly with President Biden and FEMA to address the crisis.
The governor emphasized that his focus is on helping those affected by the storms, not on engaging in political games. “We have a job to do. We have got people’s lives on the line. And that is our sole focus,” he said, pushing back against Harris’s claims that he was not returning her calls. DeSantis stated that Harris had shown no interest in helping with previous storms in Florida and was now “out there attacking me.” |
