Biden cancels visit with the pope due to LA fires
This trip would mark the final journey of Biden's presidency.
TroibNews 
President Joe Biden has opted against undertaking one last overseas trip in office, canceling plans to visit Rome for a personal meeting with Pope Francis this weekend amidst ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles.
The White House revealed the cancellation on Wednesday night, shortly after the president's return from Los Angeles, where high winds had complicated a planned final California visit aimed at dedicating two new national monuments in the desert. The wildfires have claimed at least five lives in Los Angeles County.
“After returning this evening from Los Angeles, where earlier today he had met with police, fire and emergency personnel fighting the historic fires raging in the area and approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, President Biden made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated.
Biden, who frequently emphasizes his Catholic faith, had previously sidestepped inquiries regarding his political future, describing himself as a “respecter of fate.” He had planned to spend three days of his penultimate week in office traveling to Rome for a private audience with the pope, which was intended to be a largely personal meeting. According to two aides who spoke on condition of anonymity, it was an opportunity for him to find closure regarding his lengthy political career.
However, Biden's intentions have been disrupted as he grapples with the reality of his reelection bid faltering last summer while preparing to hand over power to President-elect Donald Trump.
As he returned to Washington on Wednesday evening, wildfires continued to spread throughout the nation's second-largest city.
Earlier that same day, Biden had visited a firehouse in Santa Monica alongside California Gov. Gavin Newsom, where he announced he had signed a comprehensive federal disaster response order.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
The White House revealed the cancellation on Wednesday night, shortly after the president's return from Los Angeles, where high winds had complicated a planned final California visit aimed at dedicating two new national monuments in the desert. The wildfires have claimed at least five lives in Los Angeles County.
“After returning this evening from Los Angeles, where earlier today he had met with police, fire and emergency personnel fighting the historic fires raging in the area and approved a Major Disaster declaration for California, President Biden made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated.
Biden, who frequently emphasizes his Catholic faith, had previously sidestepped inquiries regarding his political future, describing himself as a “respecter of fate.” He had planned to spend three days of his penultimate week in office traveling to Rome for a private audience with the pope, which was intended to be a largely personal meeting. According to two aides who spoke on condition of anonymity, it was an opportunity for him to find closure regarding his lengthy political career.
However, Biden's intentions have been disrupted as he grapples with the reality of his reelection bid faltering last summer while preparing to hand over power to President-elect Donald Trump.
As he returned to Washington on Wednesday evening, wildfires continued to spread throughout the nation's second-largest city.
Earlier that same day, Biden had visited a firehouse in Santa Monica alongside California Gov. Gavin Newsom, where he announced he had signed a comprehensive federal disaster response order.
Mark B Thomas for TROIB News
