Former President Donald Trump and his Republican allies are criticizing the Biden administration's response to Hurricane Helene, accusing them of incompetence and mismanagement. The White House has defended FEMA's efforts, with President Biden emphasizing the need to put politics aside in times of crisis.
As the death toll from Hurricane Helene continues to rise and hundreds of thousands of people remain without power or running water, former President Trump has launched a blistering attack on the Biden administration's response to the devastating storm. Trump has accused President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris of "incompetence" and "mismanagement," claiming that their handling of rescue and recovery efforts has been "the WORST & MOST INCOMPETENTLY MANAGED ‘STORM,’ AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL, EVER SEEN BEFORE."
Trump's criticism has been echoed by his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, who charged that the administration's efforts were "incompetence of the highest order." The Trump campaign has also claimed that Harris "completely left North Carolina behind in the wake of devastation post-Hurricane Helene."
Trump Blasts Biden, Harris Over 'Incompetent' Hurricane Helene Response
The White House has defended FEMA's efforts, with President Biden emphasizing the need to put politics aside in times of crisis. "In a moment like this, we put politics aside, at least we should put it all aside. We have here — there are no Democrats or Republicans, only Americans — our job is to help as many people as we can, as quickly as we can, and as thoroughly as we can," Biden said during a visit to the storm-damaged region.
Harris has also fired back at Trump's attacks, accusing him of "extraordinarily irresponsible" behavior. "It's about him. It's not about you. And the reality is that FEMA has so many resources that are available to folks who desperately need them now, and resources that are about helping people get back on their feet and rebuild and have places to go," Harris said.
Trump Blasts Biden, Harris Over 'Incompetent' Hurricane Helene Response
The Biden administration has also highlighted their efforts in a release headlined "Federal Assistance for Hurricane Helene Exceeds $210 Million, FEMA Prepares for Dual Response with Hurricane Milton Strengthening as it Moves Toward Gulf Coast of Florida." As Biden declared a state of emergency in Florida on Monday, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida said during a news conference that 5,000 National Guardsmen had been mobilized in his state, with another 3,000 on the way.
"We have gotten what we need from the feds," DeSantis said. "The president has approved what we asked for….I’m thankful for that.. Everything we’ve asked for from President Biden, he’s approved."
Trump Blasts Biden, Harris Over 'Incompetent' Hurricane Helene Response
Trump's criticism of the Biden administration's hurricane response is far from the first time that a tropical storm has impacted a presidential race. In 1992, then-President George H.W. Bush took a political hit over FEMA's disorganized efforts to provide relief in Florida from Hurricane Andrew, which pounded the then-key battleground state weeks before Election Day. Fast-forward a decade and his son - then-President George W. Bush - likely enjoyed a political bounce in Florida during his 2004 re-election thanks to his aggressive response to Hurricane Charley, which hit in August of that year.
Bush was narrowly re-elected, thanks in large part to carrying the Sunshine State, but his administration's image in handling storms took a major hit the next year, over the botched response in Louisiana to Hurricane Katrina. As he ran for re-election in 2012, then-President Barack Obama's aggressive response in dealing with Superstorm Sandy - which slammed into the Eastern Seaboard days before the election - likely boosted him to victory.
Trump Blasts Biden, Harris Over 'Incompetent' Hurricane Helene Response
Trump, in his first year in office, faced criticism as Puerto Rico struggled to recover from a powerful storm. The president was pilloried for throwing paper towels to the crowd as he stopped by a relief center during a storm-related visit to the island. But the incident - which took place three years before his re-election effort - was vastly overshadowed by his response to the COVID crisis, the worst pandemic to hit the globe in a century.
With four weeks to go until Election Day in November, the politics of federal disaster relief are once again front and center on the campaign trail. Trump has been attacking the vice president and her boss over the federal response to Hurricane Helene for well over a week. Harris, on Monday, fired back, accusing Trump of pushing "a lot of mis and disinformation."
Trump Blasts Biden, Harris Over 'Incompetent' Hurricane Helene Response
