Biden heads to the Caribbean to ring in the new year
President Biden left the drizzly skies of Washington behind him on Wednesday and headed to St. Croix in the US Virgin Islands, where he and Jill Biden, the first lady, want to ring in the new year.
The White House will not say where the Bidens will stay during their vacation, but they did last year spent the week at the beach villa from friends and longtime Democratic donors, Bill and Connie Neville.
The three-bedroom home, which lists for about $900 per night on Airbnb, has an infinity pool, private beach access and unobstructed views of Buck Island Reef National Monument.
But work can invade even the most remote getaways, especially when you’re the president.
The trip comes as Mr Biden faces pressure to prevent the war between Israel and Hamas from turning into a wider regional conflict. On Tuesday, he authorized strikes on Iranian-backed militias in Iraq in retaliation for a series of strikes and a Christmas Day drone strike that left three U.S. troops injured and one in critical condition.
Later in the day, the administration said Biden had spoken with Qatar’s emir about the hostages held by Hamas and efforts to get more humanitarian aid to Gaza.
The White House declined to discuss the president’s expected meeting schedule in St. Croix or who will accompany the first couple.
The visit to St. Croix is Mr. Biden’s second as president. But the Bidens have traveled there more than a dozen times over the years.
The tropical getaway will likely be a reprieve for Mr. Biden before the start of an intense presidential campaign season in 2024.
Although the economy has shown significant signs of improvement since the pandemic (“Start reporting on it properly,” a frustrated Mr. Biden scolded reporters this week), Americans are still expressing concern. At the same time, the Democratic Party is deeply divided over Mr. Biden’s support for Israel in its war against Hamas.
The president enters the new year with persistently low job approval. But campaign officials have indicated the president will double down on the message that his administration’s policies strengthen national security and the economy. In January, the campaign has planned a major push in South Carolina to boost turnout ahead of February’s Democratic primaries.