A meeting between the Taoiseach and US President Joe Biden has been reduced to 30 minutes as Hurricane Milton batters parts of the country.
Taoiseach Simon Harris is visiting Washington DC to mark 100 years of Irish-US diplomatic relations.
Mr Harris will meet with President Joe Biden in the Oval Office at the White House.
A social reception which was planned to mark the centenary has been postponed until a later date because of the threat posed by Hurricane Milton.
Given the potential destruction of the storm, President Biden has also postponed an upcoming trip to Germany and Angola in order to oversee preparations.
"This could be the worst storm to hit Florida in over a century, and God-willing it won't be, but it's looking like that right now," President Biden said.
He added: "I just don't think I can be out of the country at this time."
Florida is bracing for landfall of category four storm as officials have pleaded with residents to follow evacuation orders.
The hurricane is expected to come close to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula en route to striking Florida's densely populated coast late on Wednesday or early Thursday.
Once there, forecasters warned the storm could bring massive storm surges, leading to further possible evacuation orders being issued along the Gulf Coast.
The storm comes less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene claimed over 200 lives and left debris littered across the state.
President Joe Biden delivers remarks at St. Muredach’s Cathedral in Ballina, Co Mayo, 14-5-23. Image: American Photo Archive / AlamyDuring his visit Mr Harris will discuss global issues, including the situation in the Middle East and Ukraine.
He will also have other political engagements with the Friends of Ireland Caucus and USAID Administrator Irish woman Samantha Power.
Speaking ahead of his trip, Mr Harris said he wants to see Ireland and the US do more to work together.
"The US was the first country to recognise Ireland. The centenary of that moment comes at a very troubling time in the world," he said.
"I expect that in our discussions President Biden and I will reflect on where the US and Ireland can do more to work together, based on shared values, to tackle the many challenges we face - including the desperate situation in Gaza and the wider Middle East.
"We urgently need to see a return to a diplomatic and political path aimed at facilitating durable solutions that can bring peace and security to all the people of the region".
Mr Harris added that he'll be using the visit "to thank the US for its abiding commitment to peace and reconciliation on the island of Ireland, and to celebrate the economic ties that see investment flow between us".
President Biden has visited Ireland a number of times, most recently in April 2023.
Additional reporting: Barry Whyte in Washington
