Biden Snaps Back at Criticisms Over Helene Response, Calls Trump a ‘Liar’

As the death toll related to damage inflicted across the south by Hurricane Helene rises to more than 130 people, President Trump and his proxies continued their political blame game over the federal response to the disaster, drawing the ire of President Biden.On Monday, the Republican presidential candidate posted on Truth Social that he “[didn’t] like reports” he allegedly heard about federal and state officials “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas.” He also suggested — with scant evidence — that Mr. Biden and governor of North Carolina, Roy Cooper, are ignoring the damage and destruction in the state hit hardest by the storm.“He’s lying, and the governor told him he was lying,” Mr. Biden told reporters during a Federal Emergency Management Agency briefing with the press. “The governor told me he was lying. I’ve spoken to the governor, I spent time with him, and he told me he’s lying.”“I don’t know why he does this,” Mr. Biden said of Trump.The president added that he couldn’t care less about what Trump says about him personally but takes issue with “what he communicates to people that are in need” and that his administration is doing “everything possible.”“We are,” he said. “I assume you heard the Republican governor of Georgia talk about that. He was on the phone with me more than once. So that’s simply not true, and it’s irresponsible.”Mr. Biden was referring to falsehoods from Trump on Monday while at the storm-ravaged town of Valdosta, Georgia, a crucial swing state in the upcoming election.“The governor is doing a good job,” Trump said of the Republican governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp. “But he’s having a hard time getting the president on the phone. They’re being very non-responsive.”Mr. Kemp immediately refuted the false claims from Trump, saying that he was able to get Mr. Biden on the phone over the weekend. “The president just called me yesterday afternoon . . . and he just said, ‘Hey, what do you need,'” he told reporters on Monday afternoon. “[He] offered that if there’s other things we need, just to call him directly, which I appreciate.”Trump was at Valdosta to show his support for survivors in the area. Speaking in front of a furniture store that had been reduced to rubble, he told those gathered that he had brought truckloads of relief supplies.“We’re here today to stand with complete solidarity with the people of Georgia and all those suffering in the terrible aftermath of Hurricane Helene. We brought many, many wagons of resources,” he said, stopping short of explaining what those resources entailed.Trump avoided a gaffe moment like the one he had back in 2017 when he visited Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria when he was seen tossing paper towels out to a crowd of victims as 95 percent of the island was without power.The Republican presidential candidate concluded his visit with the launch of a GoFundMe page to help victims of Hurricane Helene and quickly raised $1 million, according to Fox News. Donors include UFC CEO Dana White, musician Kid Rock, and hedge fund billionaire William Ackman.Mr. Biden also announced on Monday that he will head to North Carolina on Wednesday. He had held off visiting the storm-ravaged state to avoid complicating relief and rescue efforts.Vice President Harris canceled campaign events on Monday and attended FEMA briefings at Washington, DC. She said that emergency declarations had been approved for Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.“President Biden and I remain committed to ensuring that no community or state has to respond to this disaster alone,” she said.

Biden Snaps Back at Criticisms Over Helene Response, Calls Trump a ‘Liar’

Biden Snaps Back at Criticisms Over Helene Response, Calls Trump a ‘Liar’

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