President Joe Biden was forced to cancel his highly anticipated trip to Italy, scheduled to be his final overseas visit as president, due to the devastating wildfires raging in California.
The trip, planned for January 9-12, was meant to be a significant diplomatic visit, including meetings with Pope Francis, Italian President Sergio Mattarella, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
However, with the California wildfires claiming lives and displacing thousands, Biden decided to prioritize his domestic duties and remain in Washington to oversee the federal response to the disaster. The trip was also symbolic, marking the end of Biden’s presidency, which concludes on January 20.