(ABC News) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has refused to take a call with Vice President Kamala Harris about Hurricane Milton, a source close to the governor told ABC News.
The DeSantis team believes the call from the vice president is politically motivated, according to the source, and is thus refusing to take the call.
DeSantis staffers also said the governor has not spoken to President Joe Biden in at least the last few days in the wake of Hurricane Helene and as the massive Hurricane Milton takes aim at Florida.
“If you have the president and you have the vice president reaching out to offer up assistance provided to your constituents, the people who live in your state, to make sure we are doing everything that we need to do from federal response — and we’re reaching out, offering our support, that’s where … it is up to [DeSantis] if he wants to respond to us or not,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday afternoon.
Despite the lack of communication between them, Jean-Pierre said the administration is still working with state and local officials to make sure that teams are pre-positioned ahead of Milton’s landfall.
The governor did speak with Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell on Sunday, and federal officials are continuing to work with state emergency managers to prepare for Hurricane Milton’s landfall.
