President Joe Biden has canceled an upcoming visit to Italy—the final overseas trip of his presidency—to focus on monitoring the situation in California as wildfires continue to ravage the southern end of the state, the White House said on Wednesday.
Biden had earlier approved a federal major disaster declaration for California, allowing federal funding to be made available for emergency response costs.
The president was set to depart on a three-day trip to Rome and the Vatican, where he had planned to meet with Pope Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
During the trip, Biden was set to “discuss efforts to advance peace around the world,” with the Pope, showcase the strength of the U.S.-Italy relationship, and discuss “important challenges facing the world” with Mattarella and Meloni, according to a previous White House statement….