SCRANTON, Pennsylvania — Former President Trump is once again criticizing President Biden and Vice President Harris over the federal government's response to a series of devastating hurricanes targeting the Southeast.
“This is the worst hurricane response since Katrina,” the former president said, noting that the federal government's initial response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was widely criticized as slow and ineffective.
President Trump spoke at a campaign event in battleground Pennsylvania, where the extremely powerful and dangerous Hurricane Milton was just hours away from hitting Florida and the death toll was rising, nearly two weeks after Hurricane Helen. , more than 100,000 people spoke of being left without power or running water. It carved a path of destruction across the southeastern United States.
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With less than four weeks left until November's election, Trump and Harris have a tight margin of error in the race to succeed Biden in the White House and in two of the hardest-hit states, Helen. Trapped in a confrontation. North Carolina and Georgia – one of seven major battleground states likely to determine the outcome of the election 2024 Electionthe politics of federal disaster relief are once again at the center of election campaigns.
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For nearly two weeks, Trump has repeatedly attacked Biden and Harris, accusing them of incompetence.
“She just led the worst rescue operation in the history of North Carolina,” Trump said, dropping more political bombshells on the vice president. “They say it's the worst ever.”
Democratic presidential candidate Vice President Harris greets those affected by Hurricane Helen in Augusta, Georgia, on October 2, 2024. Augusta Mayor Garnet Johnson looks on on the right. (AP Photo/Carolyn Custer)
And while increasing the volume of his inflammatory rhetoric around the combustible issue of illegal immigration, the former president falsely claimed that FEMA diverted disaster relief funds and spent them on illegal immigrants in the United States. I made my claim again.
“You know where they put the money, illegal immigrants are coming,” Trump said as a crowd of MAGA supporters booed loudly.
Click here for the latest FOX News report on the storm
Hours earlier, as the president and vice president received an update from FEMA and other federal agencies on storm preparedness in Florida and relief efforts across the Southeast, Biden said, “We will respond.'' “We have made available an unprecedented number of assets.” As we face this crisis, we're going to keep at it until the job is done. ”
On October 2, 2024, President Biden meets with FEMA Administrator DeAnn Criswell at Greenville-Spartanburg International Airport in Greer, South Carolina, to assess the damage caused by Hurricane Helen. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
And the president sent a message to his predecessor in the White House.
“The past few weeks have seen reckless, irresponsible and persistent propaganda of disinformation and outright lies that have left people worried. Confidence in recovery efforts is being undermined. It's harmful to the people who need it most, and there's no place for that to happen.”
For the latest FOX News weather updates on Hurricane Milton, go here.
“Former President Trump led this onslaught of lies. There are claims that property is being confiscated, and that's simply not true,” he said, referring to the Republican presidential candidate.
Republican presidential candidate and former President Trump speaks at a campaign rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania, on October 9, 2024. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nickinson)
Biden said the statements made by Trump and other Republicans are “beyond ridiculous” and “must stop.”
“In moments like these, there are no red states or blue states. There is one United States of America, where neighbors are helping neighbors. Volunteers and first responders, whether state, local or federal, are working hard to help their fellow Americans. They are risking everything, including their lives. The officials are standing side by side,” the president said.
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Harris, who replaced Biden as the top Democrat on the 2024 ticket in July, gave a similar message in an interview with the Weather Channel on Wednesday.
“Now is not the time to just point fingers at each other as Americans,” Harris said. “For anyone who considers themselves a leader, we are all in this together, and we are committed to giving people the confidence that we have the resources and ability to work together for them and for the world. It's time to engage. The people of our country, that's what I'm focused on.”
Earlier this week, Harris and Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis got into a spat over whether he ignored her hurricane-related calls.
But when it comes to the federal response, DeSantis, like other Republican governors in storm-hit areas, had no complaints about federal aid.
The governor repeated those comments Tuesday morning in an interview on “Fox & Friends.”
“I have been in contact with the president and have been in contact with the president regarding every request that we have made. FEMA Director. All of our requests have been met,” DeSantis said.
Fox News' Matthew Reidy and Matteo Cina contributed to this report.
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