Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster
Gov. Rick Scott has a message for President Barack Obama: Come home.
More specifically: Come to Florida.
In a statement Thursday, Scott urged Obama to end his tour of Latin American and return to the United States. The Naples Republican invited Obama to the Sunshine State to “address the concerns of American tourists considering travel to Europe.”
“Following the gruesome terrorist attacks in Brussels earlier this week, President Obama chose to continue gallivanting across the communist country of Cuba with the Castros. Now, he is dancing the tango in Argentina,” said Scott in his statement. “Not only do I believe that President Obama should immediately return to America, I am inviting him today to come to Florida and address the concerns of American tourists considering travel to Europe. As the tourism capital of America, in Florida, we understand how important it is to communicate effectively about any safety concerns to tourists.”
The president traveled to Cuba earlier this week for a historic visit, before traveling to Argentina. While in Cuba, he watched the Tampa Bay Rays play the Cuban national baseball team. And on Wednesday, during a state dinner in Argentina, he was pulled on to the dance floor after declining to dance several times.
The president has said to rush home every time there is an attack would be playing into extremists’ hands. Critics have faulted Obama for sticking to his itinerary after 30 people were killed in an Islamic State-linked attack in Brussels.
Scott said it was time for Obama to return home and explain how he plans to combat terrorism.
“It is time for him to return home and lay out for the American people how he will combat terrorism in a way that will not only keep Americans safe at home, but also as they travel abroad. Florida is the perfect place for this address,” he said.
– The Associated Press contributed to this report.
