Biden heads to the White House for just 24 hours before a week-long vacation in the Caribbean: Joe and Jill unload SUVS after spending Christmas at Camp David before jetting off to St Croix

President Joe Biden returned from Camp David Tuesday for a day at the White House, with plans to start a family vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands just hours away.

The president traveled from the presidential retreat in Maryland by motorcade, after rain and fog kept him out of the presidential helicopter and its quick commute. Reporters caught just a glimpse of him entering the White House after the 90-minute trip.

First lady Jill Biden lingered slightly, grabbing her coat from the presidential SUV that sometimes stands in for the presidential limo, known as ‘the Beast.’

Since he didn’t travel by air to the South Lawn, reporters didn’t get the chance to question him upon his arrival about the domestic and international issues most likely to intrude on his planned getaway.

His return came after his family getaway got interrupted on Christmas day by urgent conversations with his security team.

Biden ordered retaliatory airstrikes against an Iranian-backed militia following an attack that injured three U.S. service members – one critically – in a drone attack. 

Iranian-backed militia Kataib Hezbollah claimed credit for the attack. Biden got briefed by his security team, then ordered the Pentagon to produce options and directed the attack against three locations utilized by Kataib Hezbollah and affiliated groups, according to National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson.

First lady Jill Biden rode with the president back from the Camp David presidential retreat

President spoke with members of his security team on Christmas following a drone attack on a U.S. base in Iraq 

Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, right, walks with his son Beau Biden, wife Melissa Cohen Biden, back left, and sister Ashley Biden, center, to board Marine One before heading to Camp David Saturday

Israel’s war on Hamas was also on the agenda at the White House Tuesday, with Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken set to meet with Israeli Minister of Strategic Affairs and former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Ron Dermer.

That comes amid increasing public and political pressure on Israel to find ways to mitigate the civilian death toll amid its war on Hamas, and Biden himself getting low approval ratings for his handling of the war.

Amid the grim international news and political problems for him at home, Biden and the first lady head out Wednesday for tropical St. Croix, where they are expected to spend the New Year.

Like the spaghetti and meatballs they share on Christmas Eve, the Virgin Islands getaway is a family tradition for the first couple. It wasn’t known where they would be staying, although last year the Biden’s stayed in a luxury condo. 

High temperatures on the island were forecast to be in the low 80s all week, although Washington, D.C. was itself experiencing unseasonably warm temperatures in the high 40s and low 50s this week.