Biden visits Wilmington updates: Air Force One departs from ILM airport

Biden departs Wilmington

Air Force One took off at 6:15 p.m. from Wilmington International Airport to head back to the White House, two hours after it landed in the Port City.

President Joe Biden's motorcade left the Wilmington Convention Center around 5:50 p.m. after Biden spoke just more than 20 minutes.Biden and Governor Roy Cooper greeted members of the Wilmington Police Department and New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office that were part of the motorcade before departure.

-- Madison Lipe

Taking shots at Trump and himself

President Joe Biden didn’t shy from taking shots at his presumed Republican opponent in the fall while announcing the additional funding for removing lead pipes from the country’s public water systems.

Here are some highlights from the president’s comments, which lasted about 20 minutes:

Along with removing the country’s lead pipes, Biden said his administration was working hard to improve the nation’s water quality by investing in water plant improvements and getting “forever chemicals” out of the environment and public drinking supplies. He said his government had a special focus on helping disadvantaged and low-income communities that have often been overlooked.

“Folks this is about safety, but it’s also about fairness,” he said. “We have to make things right, and we’re going to do that now.”

Without mentioning Donald Trump by name, referring to him as his “predecessor” several times, Biden said his administration was making progress for all Americans – not just the wealthy and corporations.

“I’m sick and tired of trickle-down economics,” he said to loud applause.

Along with brandishing his environmental credentials, Biden mentioned his work in helping the economy – especially manufacturing – bounce back from the pandemic and foreign competition.

He took special note of his administration's work on reducing medical and prescription costs, something he said he had been working on for decades while in the U.S. Senate.

“I know I look like I’m only 40, but I’m a little older than that,” Biden said, taking a self-deprecating jab at the age issue that has dogged him during his re-election push.

The president wrapped up his comments just after 5:22 p.m.

-- Gareth McGrath

Show the president 'our Wilmington'

Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo took the stage at 4:40 p.m., warming up the crowd.

He talked up the sense of community and how peoplepower can make a difference in good governance and protecting the environment.

Saffo was followed by EPA Administrator Michael Regan, who used to be the head of the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality.

“It is great to be home back in North Carolina,” Regan said, before mentioning the new PFAS regulations he had announced in Fayetteville last month.

He then said President Biden is keeping his promises and working “every single day” for a healthier and fairer America.

Regan also praised Saffo and local advocates for staring down the water quality issues the Cape Fear region had been facing for years.

That journey would be continued today by the president’s announcement to dedicate billions toward the removal of lead pipes from the nation’s water systems.

Next up was Gov. Roy Cooper, who received the first standing ovation of the afternoon.

“I’m excited and always excited to be at the beach,” he said after remarking that this was the president’s third visit in four months to North Carolina.

“And with him being from Delaware, we want to show him our Wilmington," he said to thunderous applause. "If Air Force One's crew ever gets confused about which Wilmington to fly to, tell them to head south!"

Next up is President Biden, who started his remarks remembering the law enforcement officers' lives lost in Charlotte on Monday.

Afterwards, Biden noted to Saffo that there's another Wilmington: The one the President knows well in Delaware.

-- Gareth McGrath

Biden reaches Wilmington Convention Center

President Joe Biden arrived at Wilmington International Airport’s Aero Center and was greeted by Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo and Governor Roy Cooper at 4:20 p.m.

Saffo joined the motorcade and they departed to travel to the Wilmington Convention Center where Biden is expected to deliver his remarks. Around 20 minutes later, the motorcade arrived.

Remarks will include environmental investments such as the replacement of 1.7 million toxic lead pipes throughout the U.S.

Biden will also meet with local students and faculty from a Wilmington school that was able to replace a water fountain with high levels of lead with funding from the president’s American Rescue Plan.

-- Madison Lipe

Biden arrives...and so do Donald Trump supporters

Air Force One made its way to Wilmington International Airport around 4:15 p.m.

While it might be around 5 p.m. before President Joe Biden arrives at the Wilmington Convention Center, a few supporters of former President Donald Trump will also be there to greet him.

By 3:30 p.m., dozens of civilians gathered about a block away from the convention center. Among them were about 40 pro-Palestinian activists and roughly the same number of supporters of former President Donald Trump.

Trump’s supporters raised flags with “Trump 2024” and “Women for Trump” messages, among others.The crowd of activists held signs and yelled “Free, free, free Palestine,” “Cease fire now,” “Biden, Biden, you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide,” among other chants.

-- Jamey Cross

District Attorney on Biden: 'He's putting his money where his mouth is'

New Hanover and Pender County District Attorney Ben David said Wilmington "will always be a place where the biggest races are decided" as he awaited President Joe Biden's arrival at the Wilmington Convention Center Thursday afternoon. "Politically we are a microcosm, we represent what America looks like and we are confronting some of the biggest issues honestly here, and so, it's only appropriate that (Biden) should come to Wilmington."

Prior to his arrival in Wilmington, Biden is making a stop in Charlotte to meet with the families of law enforcement officers who were killed in the line of duty.

David said he appreciates that the president "recognizes the importance of going to a tragedy like that and calling out the violence that has to stop." Addressing such violence is important, "particularly when it's directed at people who are just trying to do their jobs," David added.

The district attorney said he admires that the president has come to North Carolina to address three important topics: honoring men and women in law enforcement, the environment, and infrastructure.

"He's putting his money where his mouth is," David said about Biden.

-- Molly Wilhelm

White House remarks before flight to Wilmington

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the Biden administration mourns “for the fallen heroes and their loved ones and (prays) for the recoveries of the courageous officers who were wounded” while en route to Charlotte, according to a press release.

Jean-Pierre also touched on the upcoming presidential visit to Wilmington. While the schedule noted Joe Biden's arrival to the Wilmington International Airport around 3:55 p.m., it's more likely Air Force One will arrive at 4:15 p.m.

“President Biden believes that every American should be able to turn on the tap and...drink clean and safe water,” Jean-Pierre said.

Enviornmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan said he was “really excited to join the president today for this big announcement.”

“This is the third installment of five,” Regan said in the release. “We are giving out or investing into grants that will amount to $15 billion in total. This is the third year, so the President has already put out $9 billion to erase these lead service lines in our country.”

The 100% removal of lead piping across the country is expected to complete within a 10-year window, Regan said in the release, adding that he was unable to provide an estimate on the percentage of lead piping that has already been removed nationwide.

-- Molly Wilhelm

Seats all spoken for

The first attendees at President Joe Biden’s event at the Wilmington Convention Center began filing in just after 2 p.m.

Twenty minutes later, the small guest area was roughly half full of VIPs, hand-picked by the White House and local Democratic Party for the president’s announcement about new funding to remove lead pipes from homes and public water systems.

With the president not scheduled to speak for around two hours, many of the attendees took the downtime to excitedly take pictures in front of the dais and lectern that would later be occupied by the country’s top executive – large signs and digital boards behind them advertising Biden’s impending policy announcement.

By 2:35 p.m., officials announced all the seats were taken and it would now be standing-room only as people continued to file in.

-- Gareth McGrath

Women's groups arrive at convention center

Elli Klein, founding administrator of Southeast North Carolina Women for Biden/Harris, arrived at the Wilmington Convention Center around 2:15 p.m. on Thursday.

"I'm joining my Democratic Party colleagues to hear what the president has to say and all that he is doing (and) all the administration is doing to improve our infrastructure," said Klein less than two hours before President Joe Biden is scheduled to give remarks. "It's exciting. We have a lot of work to do to make sure we preserve our reproductive freedom and our democracy."

Elaine Syres, core member of Women Organizing for Wilmington (WOW), arrived at the Wilmington Convention Center sporting both a WOW T-shirt and a blue American Federation of Teachers T-shirt.

Syres recalled Women Organizing for Wilmington protests held outside on the corner of City Hall in 2016.

"The first one I was involved in was (about) the condition of the water in New Hanover County and the PFAS and everything else," Syres said. "What good does it do everybody if the water (that is) going to the homes or schools (is) going through lead pipes? It's an issue...it could be the cleanest water in the world but if you're running it through a lead pipe, that's not helping anyone."

Biden "should come here" to discuss the replacement of lead pipes, Syres said, adding it's an issue experienced nationwide.

-- Molly Wilhelm

Wilmington International Airport to soon see Air Force One

By early afternoon, President Joe Biden’s expected arrival time at Wilmington International Airport’s Aero Center remains 3:55 p.m.

About two hours before Biden’s expected arrival, Wilmington International Airport appears not too busy. Some New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office vehicles and Wilmington Police Department vehicles are in the area.

According to the airport’s website, flights for General Aviation users will be restricted between 1:30 p.m.-5:15 p.m.

-- Madison Lipe

By noon, Wilmington Convention Center relatively quiet

Aside from a heavy police presence in the area, things were largely quiet at the Wilmington Convention Center early Thursday afternoon. Several Wilmington Police Department vehicles were in the area, and deputies with the New Hanover County Sheriff's Office were also nearby.

Students made their way around Cape Fear Community College’s downtown campus Thursday afternoon, where classes were seemingly being held as usual.

-- Jamey Cross

More on Biden's speech, including a visit with Wilmington students

The White House released more details about President Joe Biden's expected remarks in Wilmington on Thursday afternoon. He is scheduled to speak at the Wilmington Convention Center at 4:30 p.m.

According to a morning news release, Biden is expected to announce a $3 billion investment to replace toxic lead pipes during his Wilmington presidential visit. Biden’s announcement “delivers funding to every state and U.S. territory to help address lead in drinking water while creating good-paying jobs,” the release reads. It added $76 million in funding from the president’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will be allocated to lead pipe replacement across North Carolina.

Biden is expected to meet with faculty and students from a Wilmington school that replaced a water fountain with high levels of lead with funding from the president’s American Rescue Plan, according to the release. The total project will replace up to 1.7 million lead pipes nationwide.

-- Molly Wilhelm

Biden heads to Charlotte, then Wilmington

President Joe Biden will be visiting Wilmington today to talk about address environmental issues and infrastructure in the city and surrounding region.

After departing Joint Base Andrews in Maryland on Air Force One around 11:45 a.m., his first stop will be in Charlotte to pay respects and meet family members of four law enforcement officers who died on Monday in a shootout.

Biden will leave Charlotte at 3:10 p.m. and should arrive at Wilmington International Airport around 3:55. Then he will head to the Wilmington Convention Center, where he will discuss his Investing in America agenda and how it is rebuilding infrastructure and creating jobs in Wilmington and across the country, according to an email announcement from the White House.

Biden in Wilmington: From arrival to traffic, here's more about the president's visit

Although Biden is seeking reelection in November, his visit is not a campaign visit, but a presidential visit.

"It cannot come at a more-critical time during a more-critical election year in a more-critical place," according to a statement Monday from the New Hanover County Democratic Party.

Biden's visit comes nearly two weeks after Donald Trump's campaign rally in Wilmington was postponed due to severe weather. A date has not been set yet for his return.

As for the issues Biden could be addressing, it is uncertain which ones he will cover, but PFAS filtration could be one on the list as well as the need for a Cape Fear Memorial Bridge replacement.

-- Madison Lipe

Check back here for updates throughout the day.

This article originally appeared on Wilmington StarNews: Updates on Joe Biden's visit to Wilmington, NC