Donald Trump spoke in front of a furniture store destroyed by Hurricane Helen in Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday, falsely claiming that Georgia’s governor was unable to contact Joe Biden.
Upon arriving in Valdosta, Trump told reporters that the president was “sleeping” and that Governor Brian Kemp was “calling the president and he couldn’t get through.” He repeated the false claims when speaking in front of the store.
Mr Kemp refuted the claim earlier in the day. He said he was playing a game of phone tag with Kamala Harris, but added: “The president called me yesterday afternoon and just said, ‘Hey, what do you need?'” …He offered to call me directly if I needed anything else. I was grateful for that. ”
At a White House press briefing on Monday, Homeland Security Adviser Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall said Biden had provided Kemp with “everything” Georgia needed in response to the storm.
“So if the governor wants to talk to the president again, of course the president will take the call,” Sherwood-Randall said.
On Monday night, when a pool reporter asked Biden about the former president’s comments, Biden angrily interjected before the question was finished.
“He’s lying, but the governor told him he was lying. The governor told him he was lying. I talked to the governor and spent time with him, but… I said the governor was lying. I don’t know why he would do that…It’s just not true and it’s irresponsible.”
President Trump visited the area with evangelist Franklin Graham, CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and a truck loaded with relief supplies.
“We’ve brought in a lot of wagons of resources,” he said, without specifying what resources were beyond the tankers of gasoline and water.
In an emailed statement, Graham’s relief group, Samaritan’s Purse, declined to share information about the resources provided.
“We are also grateful to President Donald Trump for his concern for those who are hurting and for his steadfast support of the work we do in the name of Jesus.” said. “We typically do not share detailed information about donations. We refer you to President Donald Trump’s team for more information.”
The Trump campaign did not respond to requests for information.
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“Today, we stand with the people of Georgia and all those suffering in the terrible aftermath of Hurricane Helen,” President Trump said in front of the crumbling brick storefront of She Watt, a furniture and fashion collective in Valdosta. I am here in full solidarity with you.” Trump was flanked by Lieutenant Governor Bert Jones and local elected officials.
Valdosta is located in southern Georgia and is still suffering from the effects of Hurricane Helen. At least 25 people died in the state as a result of the storm. At the peak of Helen’s destruction, about 1.3 million Georgians lost power, Kemp told a news conference in Augusta on Monday, hours before Trump’s arrival. Kemp said nearly half a million people were still without power as of Monday morning.
At least for now, there has been no reenactment of the scene from the disaster photoshoot in San Juan, Puerto Rico, seven years ago, when the former president threw paper towels into the crowd two weeks after Hurricane Maria left 93% of the island. Without power.
Harris canceled the event on Monday and was briefed by Fema in Washington, D.C.
“President Biden and I remain committed to ensuring that no region or state has to respond to this disaster alone,” she said. “Federal personnel are on the ground to assist affected families with access to critical resources such as food, water, and power generation. We have also approved state of emergency declarations for South Carolina and Tennessee, making resources and funding available to maximize coordinated response efforts at the local, state, and federal levels.”
