Biden to travel to Mississippi in wake of deadly storms

President Biden will travel to Rolling Fork, Miss., on Friday to survey the damage from the massive and deadly storms that tore through the state over the weekend.

First lady Jill Biden will also join the president on the trip. They will assess recovery efforts and “reaffirm their commitment to supporting the people of Mississippi as long as it takes,” the White House announced on Wednesday. 

The Bidens also plan to meet with first responders, state and local officials, and communities impacted by the storms.

The president on Sunday declared an emergency to aid recovery and clean-up efforts in Mississippi, making federal funds available for a number of counties that were ravaged in the state. Multiple tornadoes ripped through Mississippi on Friday, with one of the more devastating ones striking 60 miles northeast of Jackson.

Biden on Saturday called Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves (R) and lawmakers from the state, including Republican Sens. Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith and Democratic Rep. Bennie Thompson.

On those calls, the president expressed his condolences for the lives lost and the damage resulting from the tornadoes and asked how he can be most supportive.

The president typically visits sites of natural disasters and other incidents to survey damage and meet with first responders, local leaders and those impacted.

He faced backlash last month for not visiting Ohio in the wake of the train derailment in East Palestine. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan went on behalf of the administration. Manwhile, former President Trump also visited the site.