Trump Outmaneuvers Harris in Hurricane Helene’s Aftermath

Following the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, Donald Trump visited Valdosta, Georgia, to meet with those affected by the storm that ravaged much of the southern United States. This move is significant for Trump, gaining him favor with the storm’s victims in a battleground state crucial for his success in November.

Over 160 people are presumed dead, with hundreds more missing. Critical infrastructure and countless homes have been destroyed, towns are flooded, and people are scrambling to find food and water.

Amid this devastation, Trump vowed to deliver essential relief supplies and took the opportunity to criticize the federal government’s response. “The federal government is not being responsive,” he told reporters. He accused Vice President Kamala Harris of prioritizing fundraising over emergency efforts.

Meanwhile, Harris canceled campaign events to return to Washington for a briefing on the federal response. The vice president opted not to visit the overwhelmingly Republican-voting states yet and instead gave a few remarks at FEMA’s headquarters in DC.

When Donald Trump was asked if he was in contact with President Joe Biden about relief efforts, he quipped, “I haven’t reached out to him. I think he’s sleeping right now, actually.”

The former president also met with Franklin Graham, son of the late Christian evangelist Bill Graham, and his charity workers, announcing that he would be working with them to distribute food, water, and supplies.

He then launched a GoFundMe with a $1,000,000 goal to help the victims of the hurricane. The fundraiser is currently nearing $4 million.

Additionally, Trump has been in talks with Elon Musk about providing Starlink internet service for those who have lost connection.

However, a FEMA fact sheet reported that 40 Starlink satellite systems were already being deployed by the federal government to aid first responders, with 140 more en route.

Some of Trump’s statements distracted from his visit by causing an uproar in the press, like saying Democrats such as North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper and Joe Biden were "going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas.”

Misrepresented in the media

The mainstream media wants to convince Americans that Donald Trump is turning the natural disaster “political,” even though former Presidents Bush, Obama, and Clinton have all taken similar actions during past crises.

The left-leaning press also took aim at Trump for supposedly delaying disaster aid to Puerto Rico and redirecting FEMA funds to finance migrant deportations during his tenure as president.

They also redirected attention to policy proposals suggested in Project 2025, despite Trump’s repeatedly distancing himself from it.

The optics of Trump’s moves, however, are still powerful. His visits to hard-hit areas like Georgia following Hurricane Helene and East Palestine, Ohio, after the train derailment, resonate with many average Americans amid the crisis.