President Joe Biden will travel to Kentucky on Wednesday to survey storm damage caused by devastating tornadoes, the White House announced Monday.
“On Wednesday, December 15, the President will travel to Ft. Campbell, Kentucky for a storm briefing, and to Mayfield and Dawson Springs, Kentucky to survey storm damage following the devastating tornadoes and extreme weather,” the White House said in a statement.
“We have been working around the clock, through the weekend, closely with governors of impacted states and local leaders to ensure they have everything they need to respond to and recover from this unimaginable tragedy,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Monday.
The trip was announced around the same time Biden was briefed on the deadly storms by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas at the White House on Monday.
During the meeting, Biden said that “we’ve asked FEMA and the key departments that surge federal resources and the things they most need – power, water, communications systems – to get back to some sense of being able to communicate with each other as rapidly as they possibly can.”
Biden said that “we can’t say it was with absolute certainty” that the tornadoes were caused by climate change – the twisters occured at a time of year when tornadoes are uncommon due to colder weather – but added that it “certainly is one of the worst disasters.”
“This administration has made clear to every governor: Whatever they need, when they need it,” Biden said, adding: “Make it known to me, and they will get it to them as rapidly as we can.”
“We just want them to know that we’re going to stay as long as it takes to help them,” Biden said, noting that he worries most for the “mental health” of the victims and “the uncertainty” of the situation.
Biden said that he is working with the state’s governor to make sure that he is not in the way during his visit Wednesday.
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said at a briefing Monday that at least 64 people have been killed, and the death toll will “undoubtedly” rise.
“Thousands of homes are damaged if not entirely destroyed,” Beshear said. “And it may be weeks before we have final counts on both deaths and levels of destruction.”
President Biden approved a major disaster declaration overnight Sunday to make federal funds available to areas impacted by the severe weather.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., thanked President Biden for his administration’s “quick work to speed resources to help deal with this crisis.”
Kentucky was the worst hit by the group of twisters that devastated multiple states on Friday night. At least 14 other people were killed in Arkansas, Illinois, Missouri and Tennessee.
This is a developing story. Check back later for further updates.
