White House says Trump will visit FEMA Thursday as Hurricane Laura blasts Gulf Coast

President Trump plans to visit Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters on Thursday as Hurricane Laura crashes down on the coasts of Texas and Louisiana.

“The president is monitoring this closely. He’ll be going to FEMA today. He knows how to respond to hurricanes,” White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Fox News. “He has done it before and he will do the same again with Hurricane Laura, as we hold Texas and Louisiana close to our hearts this morning.”

According to the White House, Trump will visit FEMA offices in Washington, D.C., after participating in a campaign event at Trump International Hotel on Thursday afternoon. Later that evening, Trump will deliver his keynote address accepting the GOP nomination for president from the White House on the final night of the Republican National Convention.

McEnany also said that Trump spoke to Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) late Wednesday and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) on Thursday morning as they grapple with the storm.

The press secretary insisted that FEMA is prepared to handle the demand of combating the storm while also addressing the California wildfires and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.

“FEMA is up to the task,” McEnany said. “They have handled multiple things at once before and they will do it again today.”

The storm made landfall in Louisiana early Thursday morning as a Category 4 storm, but has since weakened to a Category 2. The storm has brought damaging winds, heavy rainfall and flooding, causing significant power outages. Approximately 400,000 people are said to be without power in Louisiana as a result of the storm.

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told reporters earlier Thursday that Trump has been actively monitoring the hurricane and that she was with him Wednesday night as he was receiving an update. Conway urged those in impacted areas to listen to their local officials, and said that FEMA had stockpiled supplies and is surging them to areas in need.

Updated at 10:51 a.m.