President Joe Biden has canceled his forthcoming trip to Italy that included an audience with Pope Francis.
The decision to cancel what would have been Biden's last foreign trip as US president has been made in order to “remain focused on directing the full federal response” to wildfires raging in Los Angeles, California, the White House said.
“After returning this evening from Los Angeles, where earlier today he had met with police, fire and emergency personnel fighting the historic fires raging in the area...President Biden made the decision to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to remain focused on directing the full federal response in the days ahead,” said the statement posted late on 8 January by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
