Biden visits Florida to meet with first responders, families impacted in Surfside collapse

President Joe Biden is traveling Surfside, Florida, Thursday on the eighth day of a massive search and rescue operation following the devastating condo collapse.

President Joe Biden is on the ground in Surfside, Florida, Thursday following the devastating partial collapse of a beachside condominium building last week that has killed at least 18 people. The president departed the White House early Thursday morning and was planning to spend nearly eight hours on the ground in Florida. He's already met with local officials and thanked first responders engaged in the ongoing search efforts ahead of consoling families affected by the disaster and delivering remarks at 3:50 p.m. ET. First lady Jill Biden is accompanying him for the visit. At an earlier command briefing with local officials, seated next to Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, Biden immediately made a big offer to cover the cost of the response effort. "I think there’s more we can do, including, I think we have the power, and I’ll know shortly, to be able to pick up 100% of the cost to the county and the state," Biden said, eliciting a surprised reaction from Miami-Dade mayor Daniella Levine Cava, who put her hand on Biden’s arm.