Vice President Kamala Harris has responded to allegations that Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is avoiding her calls regarding hurricane relief efforts, calling the situation “irresponsible” and accusing him of putting politics over people.
In an interview with MSNBC, Harris criticized any political gamesmanship during crisis situations, particularly after Hurricane Helene devastated parts of Florida.
“This should be the moment where leaders put politics aside and put people first,” Harris said.
She spoke about the urgent need for support, stating:
“It is utterly irresponsible and selfish to play political games during emergency situations.”
Reports from NBC News claim that DeSantis, a Republican and presidential candidate, has been dodging Harris’ calls, viewing them as political.
A DeSantis aide told NBC News that the governor had opted not to engage with Harris directly, but noted that DeSantis has been in direct contact with FEMA Director Deanne Criswell regarding storm recovery efforts.
DeSantis, however, denied ignoring Harris’ calls during a press conference, stating:
“I didn’t know that she had called… It wasn’t anything that anybody in my office did, in terms of saying it was political.”
As Florida continues its recovery from Hurricane Helene, tensions between the two political figures highlight the challenge of navigating disaster response amid a heated political landscape.
