Biden Visits Baltimore, Vows to Use Federal Funds to Rebuild Bridge

President Joe Biden visited Baltimore on Friday to survey the collapsed Francis Scott Key Bridge.

For Context: Last week, a cargo ship lost power and veered into one of the two main central pillars supporting the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing the bridge to collapse. Officials hope to have the port operating at normal capacity by the end of May.

Details: Biden took an aerial tour of the wreckage and met with the families of the six construction workers killed in the collapse. Speaking with reporters, he reiterated his pledge to use federal funds to pay for the reconstruction of the bridge. Also on Friday, the White House sent a letter to Congress requesting federal funds for the bridge replacement, which is expected to exceed $2 billion.

Key Quotes: Speaking at the port, Biden stated, “My vow is that we will not rest until the cement has dried and the entirety of a new bridge has been raised. We’re going to move heaven and earth to rebuild this bridge as rapidly as humanly possible, and we’re going to do so with union labor and American steel.”

How the Media Covered It: Outlets emphasized the political battle over federal funding for the recovery efforts. Reuters (Center bias) contrasted Biden’s visit with the families of the construction workers killed in the collapse, all of whom were immigrants, with former President Donald Trump, who has recently “ramped up anti-immigrant rhetoric and cast migrants as dangerous criminals ‘poisoning the blood’ of America.”