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Montana Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte was on vacation in Italy this week when he declared a “statewide disaster” due to severe flooding that affected Yellowstone National Park, Fox News confirmed Friday.
According to the governor’s office, Gianforte left for Italy on Saturday with his wife Susan on a “long-planned personal and private trip” before the floods began.
YELLOWSTONE FLOOD: PHOTOS SHOW DAMAGE AS SENDER COMMUNITIES ASSESS ECONOMIC IMPACT
FILE – Greg Gianforte meets with members of the business and environmental community in Chico Hot Springs under Emigrant Peak on October 10, 2018 in Pray, Montana. (William Campbell-Corbis via Getty Images)
“When there was a severe flood, the governor delegated his authority to respond to the disaster to Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras, with whom he worked closely for the past four days to take swift and decisive action,” he told Fox. Governor Press Secretary Brooke Stroyke. News. “Grateful to have returned to Montana, the governor hopes to be on the ground in Gardiner this morning to study the damage and meet with residents and local officials on recovery and reconstruction.”
Gianforte announced Tuesday that he had declared “a statewide disaster due to flooding to help affected communities recover as soon as possible.”
This aerial photo provided by the National Park Service shows a flooded north entrance road from Yellowstone National Park to Gardiner, Mont., June 13, 2022. (Jacob W. Frank / National Park Service via AP)
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It became clear that the governor was out of state when a formal disaster relief request was presented to President Biden showing the signature of Lieutenant Governor Kristen Juras, “on behalf of Governor Greg Gianforte.” , several media outlets reported earlier this week.
Gianforte’s office faced some criticism for its refusal to detail where the governor was.
On Friday, Stroyke told Fox News that the move was taken as a precaution for the governor’s safety.
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Ruins are seen blocking a street in Red Lodge, Montana, on Tuesday, June 14, 2022, after floodwaters swept through a neighborhood with hundreds of homes the day before. Residents were cleaning up after record flooding in southern Montana this week. (Photo by AP / Matthew Brown)
“With the governor back in the state and security concerns are no longer an issue, we are providing information as promised,” the official said.
Gianforte on Friday applauded the coordinated efforts of state, local and federal officials and said officials will continue to work to provide disaster relief to those affected by the floods.
The governor encouraged Americans to keep their Yellowstone travel plans for this summer intact.