A testy exchange between Ron DeSantis and Vice President Kamala Harris simmered down Tuesday after the Florida governor and President Biden spoke about the state's recovery from Hurricane Helene and its bracing for Hurricane Milton.
Biden spoke with DeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor late Monday, the White House said.
In a post on X, a White House spokeswoman said, "Tonight, @POTUS spoke with @GovRonDeSantis and Tampa Mayor Jane Castor to get a report on recovery efforts for Hurricane Helene and preparations for Hurricane Milton," expected to make landfall Wednesday in the Tampa Bay region.
"He asked both to call him directly if anything can be done to further support response and recovery efforts," wrote Emile Simons, senior deputy press secretary.
The phone call came just hours after DeSantis and Harris dueled in TV interviews over the governor apparently not taking calls from the Democratic presidential nominee in the wake of Hurricane Helene hitting the state almost two weeks ago.
DeSantis steered clear of recent Biden visit
When Biden came to Florida last week to survey damage from Helene, DeSantis declined to join him. While Biden went from Tallahassee to the Perry area where the storm made landfall, DeSantis was holding his own news conference in Bradenton, about four hours away.
DeSantis' actions fit a pattern of Republicans blaming the Biden administration, alleging faulty recovery efforts across the Southeast.
GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump has falsely claimed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is short on funds because it spent emergency aid on housing migrants. FEMA is involved in migrant housing, which is authorized by Congress. But it is funded by a different program, unconnected to disaster relief.
Harris, when asked Monday about the perceived snub by DeSantis, said "moments of crisis, if nothing else, should really be the moment that anyone who calls themselves a leader says they're going to put politics aside and put the people first."
DeSantis said Monday afternoon at the state's Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, "I didn't know she called me." He also said of his relationship with federal officials, "Anything we need, we've gotten support for."
Does DeSantis denial add up?
DeSantis' denial, though, conflicts with published reports. NBC News, first reporting the dustup earlier Monday, quoted what the outlet called a "DeSantis aide," saying, "Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn't answer."
When pressed Monday at the EOC, DeSantis went on to say that he didn't want to discuss anything involving calls from Biden or Harris, saying, "This is not a time for politics."
Hours later, though, in an appearance with Sean Hannity on FOX News, the governor went on the attack.
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"For Kamala Harris to try to say that 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, and she has never contributed anything to any of these efforts."
He added: "What I think is selfish is her trying to blunder into this."
A White House official told CNN that Harris had reached out to DeSantis multiple times since Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida, but the governor had not taken the vice president's calls.