Politics

Kamala Harris claims Ron DeSantis snubbed her call, Florida gov says he ‘didn’t know’ about it: ‘We didn’t answer’

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.

and 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.

Ron DeSantis has been carefully trying to navigate the politics of the storm season amid the 2024 election. REUTERS

“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.

Kamala Harris implied that the snubbing was “utterly irresponsible” and “selfish.” Getty Images

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.”

President Biden visited Florida last week. REUTERS

Conservatives fired back at Harris, a🐟ccusing her of trying to cosplay as a leader and bo💦ost 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), . “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,” . “Utterly shameful.”

Last week, 🍃Biden, 81, surveyed Helene damage in Florida with DeSantis, who was holding a press conference about 300 miles away at the time.

DeSantis d♈odged a question Monday about whether he connected with Biden directly about the ꦡarrival of Milton.

Florida is still reeling from Hurricane Helene and now faces Hurricane Milton. AFP via Getty Images

“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 al✨so 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 cur🎐rently forecast to make landfall as a Category 3 storm Wednesday even🍌ing in the Tampa area.