Photo: AFP
President Biden and first lady Jill Biden arrived in South Florida to personally thank first responders and search and rescue teams, meet with the families of victims and Biden delivered remarks on the tragic Surfside condo collapse.
"This is life and death,” Biden said. “We can do it, just the simple act of everyone doing what needs to be done, makes a difference.” “There’s gonna be a lot of pain and anxiety and suffering and even the need for psychological help in the days and months that follow," he continued. "And so, we’re not going anywhere.”
At a meeting Thursday morning, Biden spoke with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who thanked the president for the federal support in the aftermath. "You recognized the severity of this tragedy from day one and you’ve been very supportive," DeSantis said.
Biden said his administration would continue to help in any way they can and mentioned that the federal government could pay for the rescue operations.
“I think I have the power…to pick up 100% of the cost,” Biden said. "We're not going anywhere."