President Biden tells former President Trump to "get a life" and help those affected by Hurricane Milton, as Trump continues to criticize the Biden administration's response to the storm.
One day after Hurricane Milton devastated Florida, President Biden and former President Trump traded barbs over the federal government's response to the natural disaster.
Biden, speaking on Thursday, said he and Vice President Harris have been in constant contact with state and local officials and are providing everything they need. "Vice President Harris and I have been in constant contact with the state and local officials. We're offering everything they need," Biden emphasized.
Biden to Trump: Get a Life and Help Hurricane Victims
Trump, however, has repeatedly criticized the Biden administration's response, claiming it's been slow and ineffective. "THE WORST RESPONSE TO A STORM OR HURRICANE DISASTER IN U.S. HISTORY," Trump wrote on social media on Tuesday. "The worst hurricane response since Katrina," he charged, referring to the widely criticized federal response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Biden, on Thursday, urged Trump to "get a life" and help those affected by Hurricane Milton. "You know what? The public will hold him [Trump] accountable for his lies. He needs to get a life and help these people," Biden said.
Biden to Trump: Get a Life and Help Hurricane Victims
Trump's campaign spokesperson, Karoline Leavitt, responded by saying that Trump is working to address the country's problems. "Trump has been working hard every day to save this country from the mess Biden and Kamala got us into," she told Fox News.
Trump's son, Eric, highlighted that the Trump family has opened one of their Florida hotels to house over 200 linemen helping in the storm's aftermath. He also launched a GoFundMe campaign for victims of Hurricane Helene in Georgia, raising over $7 million so far.
Biden to Trump: Get a Life and Help Hurricane Victims
Vice President Harris also criticized Trump's comments, saying that "this is not a time for us to just point fingers at each other as Americans." "Anybody who considers themselves to be a leader should really be in the business right now of giving people a sense of confidence that we're all working together and that we have the resources and the ability to work together on their behalf."
Republican Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who spoke with Biden on Thursday morning, seemed to compliment the administration's storm efforts. "I spoke with the president this morning," DeSantis said. "He said he wants to be helpful. And so if we have a request, he said, send them his way, and he wants to help us get the job done."
Biden to Trump: Get a Life and Help Hurricane Victims
The political fallout from the hurricane response continues to play out in the context of the 2024 presidential campaign, with Trump and Harris locked in a tight race. Key battleground states hard-hit by the storms, such as North Carolina and Georgia, could influence the election outcome.
