Biden cancels Rome visit with Pope Francis to focus on response to Calif. wildfires
President Joe Biden has canceled a planned trip to Rome to meet with Pope Francis so that he can instead focus on federal response to the rapidly moving wildfires that are tearing through the Los Angeles area, the White House said.
President Joe Biden has canceled a trip to Rome to meet with Pope Francis so he can instead focus on federal response to the rapidly moving wildfires that are tearing through the Los Angeles area, the White House said Wednesday.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement Wednesday that Biden made the decision after he returned to Washington from a trip to Los Angeles to meet with law enforcement, fire and emergency personnel who are battling the fires.
The Vatican did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday night.
Biden's trip had been scheduled for Friday to Sunday, and he had also been expected to meet with Italian President Sergio Mattarella and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. He accepted an invitation from the pope to visit the Vatican last month, the White House said previously in a statement.
At least five people have been killed in the wildfires, triggering mandatory evacuations for more than 100,000 people.
Rating: 5