President Biden will travel to New Orleans on Monday to meet with local and state officials, families of victims, and others affected by the deadly January 1 terror attack, as announced by the White House.
This visit marks one of Mr. Biden's final acts as the nation's "consoler in chief." He will be accompanied by First Lady Jill Biden during the trip.
The attack took place early on New Year's Day when a man drove a rented pickup truck through a crowded street in New Orleans, resulting in 14 fatalities and injuring dozens more. The attacker was killed in a shootout with police.
The assailant has been identified as 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, a U.S. citizen believed to have been inspired by the Islamic State terrorist group. The FBI has classified the incident as an act of terrorism, indicating that Jabbar acted alone.
In a televised address from Camp David, Mr. Biden expressed his condolences, stating, “To all the families of those who were killed, to all those who were injured, to all the people in New Orleans who are grieving today, I want you to know I grieve with you. Our nation grieves with you.”
Mr. Biden has frequently taken on the role of comforting grieving communities following attacks or disasters. In October, he visited states affected by Hurricane Helene.
This will be Mr. Biden's first trip to New Orleans in this capacity since his last visit in August, where he announced funding for a cancer treatment project at Tulane University.
Other U.S. presidents have similarly visited New Orleans after major disasters, continuing a tradition in a city that has faced significant tragedy. George W. Bush visited after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, while Barack Obama visited in response to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.
Mr. Biden's visit coincides with the anniversary of the 2021 Capitol attack, which he has referred to as a "day that we nearly lost America." While Mr. Biden is in New Orleans, Vice President Kamala Harris will oversee the counting and certification of the 2024 election.
In light of the January 1 attack, the New Orleans Police Department has announced increased security measures for the city as it celebrates Twelfth Night, marking the start of the Carnival season, traditionally celebrated with parades and king cake.