WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden will not travel to Rome this week as planned to meet with Pope Francis, but will instead focus on the wildfires in Los Angeles, the White House announced late Wednesday.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said that after returning from Los Angeles on Wednesday evening, Biden “made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead.”
Biden was scheduled to leave Washington for Italy Thursday night to meet with the pope this weekend, his final overseas trip as president before his term ends on January 20. Jean-Pierre declined to say whether the visit would be rescheduled in the final days of his presidency. She promised to provide more information later.
Biden received an in-person briefing from local fire officials Wednesday while in Los Angeles, which has been ravaged by multiple wildfires caused by strong Santa Ana winds. Biden pledged the federal government’s full support in the battle to contain the fires and aid in future recovery efforts.
Biden traveled to Los Angeles to dedicate the construction of two national monuments in the Eastern Coachella Valley. While there, he also received his first great-grandchild, a baby boy, from his eldest granddaughter, Naomi Biden, who lives in Los Angeles.