Our live coverage of President Trump’s visit to Florida and Georgia has ended. Scroll through the posts below to see how it all unfolded.
President Trump met with a group of pecan, cotton, and soybean farmers at Charlie Stewart Farms, a soybean farm in Macon, Georgia, to discuss the impacts of Hurricane Michael.
He spoke with the group and asked how hard each farmer’s property was hit by the hurricane and how long it would take for their crops and finances to recover.
In several conversations, he assured the farmers that his administration was working with local and state officials to provide support and relief.
“It’s too bad, what happened to you guys,” he said to the group toward the end of his visit.
After spending time in Florida, President Trump and first lady Melania Trump traveled to Georgia to continue surveying the damage from Hurricane Michael.
On Monday afternoon, the President and first lady visited a Red Cross center in Warner Robins, Georgia. They spoke with state and local officials.
While the Sunshine State suffered the brunt of Michael’s punishing winds, states across the Southeast — including Georgia — also felt the effects of the storm.
Southwestern Georgia experienced hurricane-strength winds last Wednesday, downing numerous trees and causing property damage and power outages. State officials said they’d received reports of damage to the state’s pecan, cotton, vegetables and peanut crops
CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller pointed out that Michael was the first Category 3 hurricane to track into the state of Georgia since 1898.
President Trump handed bottles of water to stranded residents of Lynn Haven, Florida, Monday while trumpeting his administration’s response efforts during Hurricane Michael.
“We’re doing more than has probably ever been done,” he said. “They say that 50 years ago there was one that had this kind of power.”
“Fifty years,” he continued, “it’s long time.”
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump just walked through a neighborhood in Lynn Haven, Florida, to see the damage left behind by Hurricane Michael.
Trump praised FEMA, local government and first responders for their “incredible” work.
“To see this personally, it’s very tough. Very, very tough. Total devastation,” the President added.
Trump also said he spoke with a resident who rode out the storm and told him that “he’s never been so scared in his life.”
Watch:
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump began their visit to Florida with an aerial tour from Marine One over areas affected by Hurricane Michael.
Michael devastated parts of the Florida Panhandle, and the seaside town of Mexico Beach was virtually wiped away.
The Trumps are expected to meet with officials and first responders in Florida and Georgia today.
The future of thousands of students remains unclear in the wake of Hurricane Michael, especially those in Bay County, where schools are closed until further notice.
“It’s not going to be a normal school year. There’s nothing normal about where we are right now,” Bay District Schools Superintendent Bill Husfelt told CNN affiliate WMBB.
With the majority of its 26,000 students displaced and many schools deemed not safe because of the damage, officials are discussing alternative ways to get students back to the classroom or provide psychological aid for them.
“I would say every single school in Bay County has some type of damage, some more extensive than others,” said Steve Moss, vice chairman of Bay District School Board. “Some it’ll probably take weeks or months to get online. Some it will take years.”
In Florida, the seaside town of Mexico Beach was virtually wiped away in Hurricane Michael. Now, days after the storm hit, crews are sifting precariously through heavy rubble in search of about 30 to 35 people, the city’s police chief said.
Rescue teams have been using dogs as they combed through rubble piles and mangled structures one more time looking for survivors.
About 280 of the town’s 1,200 residents had said they planned to ride out the storm, but many fled at the last minute when Michael quickly gained strength, Mayor Al Cathey said.
Here’s a look at some of the devastation in the city:
President Trump touted the federal, state and local response to Hurricane Michael and hailed the efforts of Florida Gov. Rick Scott, shortly after arriving in Florida to tour hurricane damage.
Trump said officials “stepped up” and followed “right behind” Hurricane Michael.
Trump added that thousands of electricians are working on getting the power back on but pointed out that the bigger problem is many homes don’t exist anymore.
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump have arrived at Eglin Air Force Base in Okaloosa County in the Florida panhandle.
Florida Gov. Rick Scott and FEMA Administrator Brock Long were among the people to greet the Trumps.
Watch the moment:
Air Force One just touched down at Eglin Air Force Base in Okaloosa County, Florida.
President Trump and first lady Melania Trump are expected to visit areas hard hit by Hurricane Michael to survey damage and meet with officials.
Trump tweeted this morning that they’ll also visit Georgia.
It’s been five days since Hurricane Michael hit. Here’s the latest on the disaster and the recovery efforts:
President Trump and the first lady are on their way south to survey areas hard hit by Hurricane Michael. Meanwhile, thousands are still in the dark.
At least 237,834 customers across four states are still without power as of 9:30 a.m. ET Monday due to Hurricane Michael according to multiple utility websites.
Here’s the full breakdown:
President Trump tweeted about about his visit to areas hit by Hurricane Michael, saying he and the first lady would head to both Florida and Georgia today to meet with officials and first responders.
Here’s his message:
