What happened
Donald Trump visited Valdosta, Georgia, Monday, bringing his entourage to one of the towns hit by Hurricane Helene. Trump criticized President Joe Biden’s management of the storm’s aftermath, claiming falsely that Biden had not spoken with Gov. Brian Kemp (R), even after Kemp confirmed the call. The death toll from Helene rose above 130 on Monday, with rescue and relief efforts focused in mountainous western North Carolina.
Who said what
Trump’s comment was “revealing less for its dishonesty than for what it highlighted about his approach to federal disaster relief,” which he views “through the prism of personal politics,” The New York Times said. As president, Trump diverted funds from FEMA and threatened to withhold allocated money from “governors of blue states whom he saw as enemies” while “promising ‘A-plus’ treatment for his allies.” He waited three years to approve disaster relief for Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria.
Vice President Kamala Harris said at a FEMA briefing Monday she would visit hard-hit areas “as soon as possible without disrupting any emergency response operations,” which “must be the highest priority.”
What next?
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