Former President Trump continued to criticize the Biden-Harris administration over its response to Hurricane Helen amid criticism that it was trying to politicize the disaster.
President Trump spoke with Fox News host Laura Ingraham on Saturday at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks killed the Republican presidential candidate in July. It was a return to the place I had tried to eliminate.
Ingraham asked the former president how he would respond to the devastation caused by Helen.
“We're going to have a great team here. We don't have people here. Look, I was in North Carolina yesterday. I was in Georgia, and Georgia is different. You have a good governor. He They're doing a very good job, but North Carolina is a disaster and has been hit very hard, but they're understaffed and complaining that there's no one around to help them. ,” Trump said.
Drone footage of the damage caused by Hurricane Helen in Asheville, North Carolina on September 29th. (Reuters/Marco Bello)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell pushed back against some claims that agency personnel were not seen on the ground due to the storm, writing in a “special report” on Monday. He said the insinuations were “false.”
“We have been on the ground since before Hurricane Helen made landfall in Florida. [to] North Carolina. And my point is, just because you don't see someone wearing a shirt doesn't mean we're not in the area. We have teams in place to work with states to understand their needs and help move resources to where they are needed,” Criswell said.
Fox Corporation begins donation drive for American Red Cross Hurricane Helen relief efforts
“We're transporting food and water, and a lot of what we're seeing being delivered by our incredible National Guard across North Carolina is supplies that we brought in. The entire federal government is here to support this response. We're there. We'll be there for as long as we need to make sure everyone's needs are met.”
white house announced over the weekend President Biden ordered 500 active-duty troops to be sent to Western North Carolina to assist with relief efforts, bringing the total number of troops to 1,500.
More than 6,100 National Guard troops and 7,000 federal employees were mobilized to assist residents and affected counties.
President Trump launches GOFUNDME to help victims of Hurricane Helen, raising more than $1 million
white house aimed at trump Others were arrested on suspicion of spreading false information about how disaster relief funds were spent, specifically claims that FEMA funds were spent on U.S. immigrants.
“Funds are not diverted to disaster response needs. None. FEMA's disaster response operations and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, a fund dedicated to disaster operations. , and have not been diverted for any other purpose.“Disaster-related efforts,'' the memo from the White House reads in part.
“No matter what I do, they'll say, oh, it's political. If I do something good, no matter what I do, they'll say, oh, he's doing it for politics. I mean, they could have gotten it way before me,” President Trump said on “The Ingraham Angle.”
Trump, Biden and Kamala Harris have all visited states affected by Helen.
Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Kamala Harris greets those affected by Hurricane Helen on Wednesday, October 2, 2024 in Augusta, Georgia. Augusta Mayor Garnet Johnson looks on on the right. (AP Photo/Carolyn Custer) (AP Photo/Carolyn Custer)
Ingraham asked Republican candidates how they are working to ensure voters cast their ballots despite the dire circumstances.
“Republican areas have been hit very hard, you know. They've been hit very hard, I believe. And a lot of people have died. You know, a lot of people. They don't even know what it's going to look like.'' Hundreds of them are missing, but I can't speak to that, but I'll vote if I have to. I believe it is. '' Trump said.
Workers, community members and business owners clean up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Helen on Monday, September 30, 2024 in Marshall, North Carolina. (Javin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
He added that his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee, is working to address the issue.
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“Others are working on it, and we're trying to make it convenient for them. But they just lost their homes. We're trying to make it convenient for them to go out and vote.” We're trying to do that, and we're doing very well.''In Virginia, we had a very poor response to hurricanes, so I think overall we're going to do well. They have done so — the response has been appalling,” Trump continued.
Associated Press reported. at least 230 people Killed after Helen.
