Former President Trump continues to attack the Biden-Harris administration for its response hurricane helen Amid criticism that he was trying to politicize the disaster.
Trump spoke with Fox News host Laura Ingraham at his Butler, Pa. rally on Saturday, marking a return to the site where murderer Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to end the GOP presidential nominee’s life in July. Had done.
Ingraham asked the former president how he would have reacted to the devastation caused by Helen.
“I’m going to have a tremendous team of people here. They don’t have any people here, people who, look, I was in north carolina tomorrowI was in Georgia – and Georgia is different. You have a good governor. He is doing very good work. But North Carolina is a disaster. And hit very hard too. But they don’t have people and they’re complaining there’s no people around to help,” Trump said.
A drone view shows damage after Hurricane Helene in Asheville, NC, on September 29. (Reuters/Marco Bello)
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Dean Criswell hit back at some claims that agency personnel have not been seen on the ground since the storm, saying in a “special report” Monday that such indications are “false.”
“We’re already on the ground in Florida before Hurricane Helene and before it crossed North Carolina. And what I will say is just because someone doesn’t see a guy in a shirt doesn’t mean we’re Not in the field. We have a team in place along with the state to help understand their needs and move resources where they are needed,” Criswell said.
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“We’ve moved food and water, and what you’re seeing being distributed by the wonderful National Guardsmen in North Carolina are supplies we’ve brought. The entire federal family is there to support this response. We “We’ll be there as long as it takes to make sure we’re meeting everyone’s needs.”
the White House announced over the weekend President Biden ordered 500 active-duty troops to western North Carolina to aid in relief efforts, bringing the total number of troops to 1,500.
More than 6,100 National Guardsmen and more than 7,000 federal personnel have been deployed to help residents and affected counties.
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the White House Targeted at Trump And others are accused of allegedly spreading misinformation about how disaster relief funds were being used, specifically claims that FEMA money was used on immigrants in the United States.
“No money is being taken away from disaster response needs. None. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money is not directed toward other, non-disaster-related efforts,” a White House memo read in part.
“You know, anything I do, they’ll say, oh, it’s political. If I do anything good, no matter what I do, they’ll say, oh, that did this for politicsI mean, they could have gotten there before me,” Trump said on “The Ingraham Angle.”
Trump, Biden and Kamala Harris have all visited states affected by Helen.
Democratic presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris speaks on Wednesday, Oct. 2, 2024, in Augusta, Ga. People welcomed by Hurricane Helene in Washington, D.C., while Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson looks on at right. (AP Photo/Caroline Caster) (AP Photo/Caroline Caster)
Ingraham asked the GOP nominee how he is working to make sure voters can cast their ballot amid the devastation.
“Republican areas have been hit very badly. You know that. They’ve been hit very, very badly. I believe – and many people have died. You know, many people have died. They’ve got this Don’t even know what the outcome of this is going to be you know, they have hundreds missing and I can’t really talk to“All I can say is that I believe they will go out and vote, even if they have to crawl to a voting booth,” Trump said.
Workers, community members and business owners clean up debris after Hurricane Helene in Marshall, North Carolina, on Monday, September 30, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)
He said Republican National Committee co-chair and daughter-in-law Lara Trump is working to resolve the issue.
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“Other people are working on it and we’re trying to make it convenient for them too. But they’ve lost their homes. We’re trying to make it convenient for them to go out and vote, but we’re very We are doing well in some areas that we did not expect, I think we are going to do well. North Carolina Because the response to the storm has been very poor. Trump further said, “Their response has been appalling.”
The Associated Press reported at least 230 people He has been killed in the affair of Helen.
