washington
CNN
—
Former President Donald Trump, seeking to politicize the devastation caused by Hurricane Helen, said in a social media post Thursday that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris “generally failed in the way they responded to the hurricane.” “I have been given a bad review by the public,” he falsely claimed. Especially in North Carolina. ”
Fact number one: Trump is wrong. The Biden administration’s response to the hurricane has received bipartisan praise from political leaders in affected states.
That praise was not universal. There were also some criticisms and some vague opinions. However, President Trump’s claim that the Biden administration’s review of the crisis response was completely negative is not true.
And this is just President Trump’s latest false claim about his administration’s hurricane response.
Mr. Trump mistakenly said on Monday that Georgia Governor Brian Kemp had not reached Mr. Biden by phone, although Mr. Kemp had already said that day that he had spoken to Mr. Biden. And President Trump baselessly claimed on Monday that the federal government and Democratic Governor Roy Cooper of North Carolina are intentionally not helping residents of the state’s Republican communities. President Trump was pressed about the matter by reporters, but he offered no evidence of it.
Republican governors in Southeastern states affected by Hurricane Helen praised the Biden administration’s response, sometimes singling out Biden in particular.
South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, a Republican, said at a news conference Tuesday that Mr. Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called him and told him to let him know whatever the state needs, and asked for federal aid. said, “It’s amazing.” McMaster added that he also received a call from Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell. “So we’re getting help and we’re asking for everything we need,” he said.
Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin said at a press conference Monday that he is “very grateful for the quick response and cooperation of the federal team at FEMA.” In a press release the day before, he particularly expressed his gratitude to Mr. Biden and others.
Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, said at a press conference Wednesday that “the federal government’s response was swift” to the state of emergency declaration, adding that “the federal government’s response was swift” in making the state eligible for some federal compensation. “Frankly, there was a quick response,” he added.
At a news conference Tuesday, Lee said officials “from the federal government to state governments to local governments to local emergency management agencies to local county leaders” have “rushed in” to serve the public with tears in their eyes. He talked about what he was doing. Seeing what’s behind the efforts and concerted efforts to begin recovery in this community gives us great hope. ”
North Carolina Governor Cooper has repeatedly praised the federal government’s response. “I appreciate the quick action and close communication with the president and the FEMA team,” Cooper, who sat next to Biden during the president’s visit to North Carolina on Wednesday, added moments later. Mr. President, we know we’ve asked a lot of you, and we appreciate your listening and your actions. ”
Cooper said at a press conference on Tuesday. “I have briefed President Biden and Vice President Harris twice each, and they have committed every resource available to this recovery. We appreciate the President’s directive that Secretary Deanne Criswell remain on site,” she said, noting that residents have already begun receiving aid payments.
Esther Manheimer, the Democratic mayor of hard-hit Asheville, North Carolina, said on MSNBC on Tuesday: “We’re seeing an incredible outpouring of assistance from the federal government to the states to the private sector to the nonprofit sector to faith-based organizations,” and everyone is pouring in here to help. ” She stressed that rebuilding from the “catastrophic” situation would take a long time in any case.