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Ron DeSantis says Harris has 'no role' in hurricane response: 'I don't have time for political games'

By Hanna Panreck
Published  October 8, 2024 1:00pm EDT
Ron DeSantis
FOX News

TAMPA, Fla. - Gov. Ron DeSantis hit back at Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday during an interview on Fox News' "Hannity," as the Florida governor prepares for another hurricane, Hurricane Milton, to hit the state.

"For Kamala Harris to try to say my sole focus on the people of Florida is somehow selfish is delusional," DeSantis said. "She has no role in this, in fact, she's been vice president for three and a half years, I've dealt with a number of storms under this administration, she's never contributed anything to any of these efforts."

NBC News, and later ABC News, reported on Monday that the Florida governor was not taking calls from Harris regarding storm recovery efforts, citing unnamed aides to the governor who said the calls seemed political in nature.

Asked by Fox News' Sean Hannity if she has ever called before while preparing for hurricanes, DeSantis said, "no."

READ: Hurricane Milton tracker: 'Extremely dangerous' storm taking aim at Florida's Gulf coast

"She has no role in this process. I'm in contact with the President of the United States. I'm in contact with the FEMA director, I'm obviously managing all of our state agencies, we're supporting all our local government," he added.

When Harris was asked about DeSantis reportedly dodging her phone calls on Monday, the vice president accused him of playing politics.

"People are in desperate need of support right now and playing political games at this moment in these crisis situations … is just utterly irresponsible, and it is selfish," Harris said to reporters on Monday. "It is about political gamesmanship, instead of doing the job that you took an oath to do, which is to put the people first."

DeSantis said he worked well with both the Trump and the Biden administrations when it came to dealing with hurricane preparation and response efforts.

READ: Tens of thousands of Bay Area residents evacuate before Hurricane Milton: 'I'm scared'

"She's the first one who's trying to politicize the storm, and she's doing that just because of her campaign," DeSantis said. "I don't have time for political games. I've got people whose lives are on the line, I've got people whose homes and possessions are on the line, and we are focused 100% on that mission."

Regarding the White House response, spokesperson Andrew Bates told Fox News Digital, "A wide range of leaders in both parties and from every affected state have praised the bipartisan response to Hurricane Helene. The Republican governor of South Carolina, Henry McMaster, has called the response ‘superb.’ Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, a Republican, said, ‘They're doing a great job.’ Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said, ‘We are seeing incredible help from the Federal government to the state.’ The Republican governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp, has said he ‘appreciated’ President’s Biden’s offer to ‘call him directly’ with any ‘other things we need.’"

Bates then listed other Republican officials, including the Republican governor of Virginia and Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, who offered praise for Biden. 

Milton is looking to be the second powerful hurricane Florida and other states are preparing for, following deadly damage from Hurricane Helene.

Fox News' Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report.

Read more at FOXNews.com. 

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