SEATTLE — President Joe Biden is set to visit the Seattle area on Friday.
Beyond that, many details are unclear at this point. The White House confirmed to KING 5 that Biden will be in town Friday and Saturday for a pair of campaign events. The Seattle Police Department (SPD) also confirmed it is aware of Biden's visit and said it is working with local, state and federal partners but did not offer any additional information.
Biden will be flying in and out of SEA Airport and is expected to arrive at 5:50 p.m., a spokesperson confirmed to KING 5.
A temporary flight restriction is in effect over much of the airspace within a 30-mile radius around SEA airport from 5:15 p.m. Friday until 2:45 p.m. Saturday, per the Federal Aviation Administration. This is mostly impacting private flights and will not impact commercial operations for the airport.
A SEA Airport spokesperson said it is expecting the standard hold for Air Force One. All traffic will be stopped on runways until the aircraft arrives and is parked, the spokesperson said. Security protocols require SEA Airport to stop all air traffic at least 30 minutes before the arrival of the president's plane, Alaska Airlines confirmed in a statement to KING 5.
After touching down, Biden is expected to attend a campaign reception in Seattle at 7 p.m.
Though his route through the Seattle area remains unclear, anyone planning to drive on a major freeway Friday should expect to potentially face closures and increased traffic. Past visits by Biden or other members of the executive branch have led to closures of Interstate 5 and other roadways for security purposes.
The Northwest Progressive Institute reported last week that the Biden Victory Fund was sending out invites for a campaign event on Friday in Seattle, with the address being given to those who RSVP.
The president last visited the Seattle area in 2022 during Earth Day, when he gave remarks on green energy, signed an executive order and discussed efforts to lower costs from health care and energy for families.
More recently, Vice President Kamala Harris visited in August 2023 to speak about the Inflation Reduction Act. First Lady Jill Biden also came to Seattle in September 2023 to address progress on the Cancer Moonshot initiative.
President Biden will be coming to Seattle from San Francisco, where he is scheduled to participate in two campaign events.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
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