President Biden on Wednesday accused former President Donald J. Trump of telling “blatant lies” about the federal response to Hurricane Helen, causing morale problems for emergency medical workers and confusing storm victims. denounced.
Biden took part in a briefing by federal officials about Hurricane Milton, which is expected to hit Florida’s west coast just two weeks after Helen struck the state, and slammed the former president and Republican lawmakers. .
“The last few weeks have been reckless, irresponsible, and relentless in promoting misinformation and outright lies,” Biden said. “Confidence in the incredible rescue and recovery work that has already been carried out and will continue to be carried out is being undermined. It is harmful to those who need help most.”
Mr. Trump, who is seeking reelection for a second term in the White House, and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance (Ohio), have criticized the government’s response, saying local, state, and federal authorities in the affected areas has repeatedly debunked it.
The former president said at a rally in Michigan that Harris spent FEMA money on housing immigrants. He said helicopters have never been used to rescue people in North Carolina. And he claimed that FEMA told storm victims they would only receive $750.
All of these false claims are part of what Biden on Wednesday called a “disturbing” pattern of statements.
“There are claims being made that property is being confiscated. That’s simply not true,” Biden said. “They say people affected by these storms will receive $750 in cash, but no more. That is simply not true. That’s ridiculous. It’s not true.”
The president also slammed Georgia Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene for writing on social media that “they” can control the weather without indicating who it is. She also seemed to suggest that the federal response was designed not to help victims in Republican-controlled states.
“We control the weather. That’s crazy,” Biden said. “Moments like this have to stop. There are no red or blue states.”
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro N. Mayorkas said in a briefing that some of the lies about the hurricane response were hurting efforts to reach those affected and eligible for federal assistance. He said that
“One of the false narratives is that federal agents who are actually providing assistance are taking private land,” Mayorkas said. “That keeps individual survivors away from the people who are out there seeking the relief that they are entitled to and that we are providing them.”
He added: “False information is the only fuel that criminal elements use to exploit vulnerable individuals.”
