Former President Trump on Monday attacked the federal response to Hurricane Helene by repeating debunked claims about funding and bashed North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) throughout a cease in storm-ravaged Asheville, N.C.
Trump met with native officers and considered injury from Hurricane Helene forward of a pair of marketing campaign occasions within the Tar Heel State. The previous president praised the passion of voters regardless of the storm injury amid sizable early turnout, however he additionally swiped at his political opponents over the response to Helene.
Trump advised reporters he could be in favor of Congress returning early from recess to approve extra catastrophe response funding for the Federal Emergency Administration Company (FEMA).
“You know, in theory they’re supposed to have it, but they spent a lot of money on bringing illegal migrants, people that came into our country illegally, and taking them in and all of the money they spent. Numbers that nobody can even believe. So they don’t have any money for people that live here,” Trump stated, calling FEMA’s response “a disgrace.”
The White Home and native officers in affected areas have for weeks pushed again on comparable claims from Trump and his allies, making clear that FEMA’s catastrophe aid fund is particularly allotted for pure catastrophe response. The company has separate applications administered by the Division of Homeland Safety to shelter migrants.
The previous president was requested about a current report that an armed man in North Carolina was threatening FEMA employees, and whether or not his rhetoric attacking the company made it tougher to reply to the storm.
“Well, I think you have to let people know how they’re doing,” Trump stated. “If they’re doing a poor job we’re supposed to not say it?”
Requested about Cooper’s dealing with of the storm, Trump stated he was “not hearing the good things about the governor here like I’m hearing about the governor in Georgia, as an example.”
“I’m hearing the governor in Georgia’s done a very good job, and I don’t really know the governor here. But I’m not hearing that he’s done a very good job. So that’s the only thing I can say,” Trump stated.
Cooper on Monday was additionally in Asheville alongside FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.
Trump has for weeks attacked the federal response to Hurricane Helene, which tore via Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina, killing greater than 200 folks and inflicting catastrophic injury. He beforehand visited Georgia and met with Gov. Brian Kemp (R).
President Biden and Vice President Harris each visited affected areas earlier this month and met with native officers on the bottom. Biden specifically has blasted Trump for making false and deceptive claims concerning the storm response, warning it may forestall folks from getting the assistance they want.
