President Joe Biden has sharply criticized former President Donald Trump for allegedly lying about the government’s response to Hurricane Helen.
Biden announced that he will visit North Carolina on Wednesday to assess the damage caused by the storm, following the White House’s earlier statement about his plans to tour affected areas.
Speaking from the White House, Biden confirmed, “I will go to North Carolina on Wednesday.
We plan to go to Raleigh to meet with officials at the emergency operations center, and then I will visit all the areas impacted by the storm.” He also mentioned intentions to travel to Georgia and Florida shortly afterward to survey damage in those states.
During a visit to Georgia on Tuesday, Biden expressed his frustration over Trump’s disparaging remarks regarding the government’s response post-storm.
He noted that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp faced challenges in communicating with Trump but later they confirmed their conversation took place. Biden emphasized, “Trump was lying, and the governor told him he was lying. I don’t know why Trump is doing this. This is not true and irresponsible.”
The president underlined the importance of not rushing into affected areas in a way that could disrupt ongoing rescue efforts. Additionally, he urged Congress to approve a supplemental bill aimed at securing funding for relief operations in the storm-affected regions.
Biden characterized the damage caused by Hurricane Helen as “very large and widespread,” directing the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the White House Homeland Security Advisor to expedite measures to assist hurricane survivors and boost rebuilding efforts.
As part of the ongoing response, Trump, during his visit to Georgia yesterday to evaluate the storm’s impact, expressed his support for affected individuals and communities.
In a related development, Vice President Kamala Harris plans to cut short her campaign trip in Nevada to participate in a press conference in Washington regarding Hurricane Helen and to visit affected areas as well.
Hurricane Helen, described as a “very dangerous” storm, made landfall on Florida’s coast on the evening of September 26. It has resulted in significant destruction, including flooding, landslides, and the uprooting of trees, and has disrupted transportation networks.
The storm left over 3.5 million customers without power and has tragically claimed more than 100 lives.
