President Biden and his family arrived on St. Croix just after 11:00 p.m. on Tues. Dec. 27, 2022. By. ERNICE GILBERT/ V.I. CONSORTIUM
President Joe Biden arrived on St. Croix just after 11:00 p.m. Tuesday and the president was accompanied by his wife, First Lady Jill Biden and their family. They are expected to vacation on St. Croix for several days, including New Year's Day.
"On Tuesday, December 27, President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will travel to St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, where they will celebrate the New Year with their family," the White House announced Monday night.
Long before the president's arrival, U.S. Secret Service personnel were on island making security preparations. On Tuesday, as the president's coming drew near, snipers positioned themselves on roofs, spot lights searched far away bushes, and dogs sniffed the surroundings — all standard procedures in the sprawling presidential security operation.
Air Force One landed on the tarmac without any hiccups and Mr. Biden and his family — roughly a dozen people —disembarked the aircraft, boarded several SUVs and traveled to their destination.
In 2015 and again in 2016, Mr. Biden welcomed the new year on St. Croix.
During his visits in the recent past, Mr. Biden was vice president during President Barack Obama's second term in office. His arrival Tuesday night marks his first visit to the USVI as a sitting president, and among the rare visits that U.S. presidents have made to the U.S. Virgin Islands while in office.
