Vice President Kamala Harris alleged Monday that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis spurned a recent call from her, while the Republican insisted he had no knowledge of the Democrat’s attempt to communicate following the landfall of Hurricane Helene.
ABC News and NBC News reported Monday that DeSantis’ staff turned down the Harris overture, feeling that it was politically motivated.
“Kamala was trying to reach out, and we didn’t answer,” a gubernatorial aide told NBC.
“No. I didn’t know she called me,” DeSantis, 46, told reporters during a press conference Monday discussing the arrival of Category 5 Milton.
“I saw that [media report] but I was not aware of that,” the governor added.
Harris’ White House press team confirmed to The Post that an attempt was made to contact DeSantis early last week after Helene made landfall Sept. 26.
The veep also reached out to a handful of officials in the Sunshine State, including Florida’s two senators and at least half a dozen GOP congressmen, per the White House.
Harris took a swipe at DeSantis — without mentioning his name — as she left Washington for the start of a New York media tour Monday evening.
“You know, 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,” the vice president said.
“People are in desperate need of support right now and playing political games at this moment in these crisis situations — these are the height of emergency situations — is utterly irresponsible and it is selfish.”
Conservatives fired back at Harris, accusing her of trying to cosplay as a leader and boost her presidential campaign.
“There is a Category 5 hurricane making landfall in Florida in less than 48 hours. Taking a call from a Vice President who wants to pretend she’s President is not (and should not) be high on the to-do list,” Ben Williamson, chief of staff for Rep. Michael Cloud (R-Texas), wrote on X. “Sorry.”
“She’s attacking the governor of a state about to be hit by its second hurricane in two weeks because he didn’t make time to let her cosplay as president during a contentious election,” wrote another critic. “Utterly shameful.”
Last week, Biden, 81, surveyed Helene damage in Florida but did not meet up with DeSantis, who was holding a press conference about 300 miles away at the time.
DeSantis dodged a question Monday about whether he connected with Biden directly about the arrival of Milton.
“The president has approved what we asked for. We’re thankful for that. If there’s something we need that they don’t approve, I will not hesitate to call him,” he said.
“Everything we’ve asked for from President Biden, he has approved, and we do think we’ll get more approvals for some of the individual assistance and the debris removal after landfall.”
The governor also said that Biden had called last week, but DeSantis was traveling and unable to take the call.
Hurricane Helene ravaged the Southeast late last month, killing at least 232 people.
Milton is currently forecast to make landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday evening in the Tampa area.
