Trump today again repeated his claims, without citing evidence, that Democrats and the Biden administration are blocking aid to victims of the recent hurricanes.
In a post on Truth Social, the former president said, “Democrats in Washington and the Democrat Governor’s Office of North Carolina (Roy Cooper) were blocking people and money from coming into North Carolina to help people in desperate need.”
“Biden knew about it, and so did Kamala! It’s all over the place — A HORRIBLE SITUATION. I will make it up to everyone when we take Office on January 20th. HOLD ON, I’M COMING!” he wrote.
NBC News reached out for comment to the White House, FEMA, the Trump and Harris campaigns, and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper’s office.
There is no evidence that Democrats have blocked aid to North Carolina.
Last week, tech billionaire Elon Musk, who has endorsed Trump, said in a post on X that FEMA was actively blocking people who were trying to help in North Carolina, including his deliveries of Starlink equipment to provide internet access.
FEMA’s director of public affairs, Jaclyn Rothenberg, said last week that the claims “about FEMA confiscating or taking commodities, supplies or resources in North Carolina, Tennessee, or any state impacted by Helene are false.
“FEMA has helped provide Starlink terminals to the state of North Carolina, including to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Nation and critical lifeline locations as determined by the state,” Rothenberg added. “These units are supporting state and local municipalities, Urban Search and Rescue and disaster coordination. Starlink units have been sent to multiple states in support of Hurricane Helene response efforts.”
Trump has continued to spread false claims about the federal government’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton despite calls by Democrats and other leaders to stop. For example, he said FEMA was diverting disaster funds from victims of the hurricane to undocumented immigrants. He also said that FEMA would only provide $750 to disaster survivors. FEMA has debunked those and other rumors.
Meanwhile, some Republican officials, including Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, have praised Biden and his administration’s response to the deadly storms over the last two weeks. Democrats have said the rumors are hurting hurricane victims, and Biden has rebuked Trump over his false claims, calling them “ridiculous” and saying he’s being “un-American.”
