On Thursday, President Biden arrived in St. Croix for what is expected to be his final vacation as president before his term concludes next month.
He departed from the White House alongside first lady Jill Biden the day after Christmas and reached St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands at approximately 2 p.m. EST, accompanied by his daughter, Ashley Biden.
Throughout his presidency, Biden has made it a tradition to visit St. Croix for the New Year’s holiday. Last year, he faced criticism for continuing this tradition during a crisis at the U.S. southern border, particularly as a migrant caravan drew attention while heading toward the U.S. and border crossings were on the rise.
This year, Biden commenced his annual trip after signing 50 bills on Christmas Eve and just days after approving a stopgap measure to prevent a government shutdown.
He received backlash last week for not being present during negotiations aimed at keeping the government operational, while President-elect Trump played a role in derailing a bipartisan agreement negotiated by Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
The White House responded on Friday to numerous questions regarding Biden’s absence from those discussions with little comment.
While this trip to St. Croix marks a significant moment in his presidency, it is not his final journey before Trump takes office on January 20. Biden also intends to travel to Italy next month for discussions with Pope Francis, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
