Donald Trump has made new complaints about the federal response to two hurricanes that ravaged large areas of the US south east, as he seeks to turn the storms to his political advantage ahead of the November election. Speaking at the Detroit Economic Club, Trump expressed empathetic messages to people affected by hurricanes Helene and Milton, which came ashore on Wednesday night. However, he also suggested that the federal response had been lacking, particularly in North Carolina, where he alleged that the government had “not done what you’re supposed to be doing.” They’ve let those people suffer unjustly,” Trump said.
Trump has been promoting falsehoods about the response of President Joe Biden and emergency management officials, falsely claiming that federal assistance available to victims is capped at $750 (£575). In reality, that is just for immediate needs, the first potential payout rather than the total. “That $750 dollars that they’re talking about, Mr Trump and all those other people know it’s a lie to suggest that’s all they’re going to get,” Biden said on Thursday. “It’s just bizarre. They got to stop this. They’re being so damn un-American with the way they’re talking about this stuff.”
Trump’s accusations follow a briefing in the White House Situation Room about emergency efforts in Hurricane Milton’s wake, which Vice President Kamala Harris virtually attended. Harris is scheduled to attend a Univision town hall event in Las Vegas and an evening rally in Phoenix as she remains in close contact with federal authorities about the storm. Trump, on the other hand, used his speech to echo core themes from his 2016 campaign, including his anti-immigration stance and his claims that other countries, especially China, are “ripping the US off” and taking manufacturing business away.
Donald Trump (Via Donald Trump/Twitter)
In his speech, Trump also took a swipe at the city of Detroit, suggesting that it was “a mess” and comparing it to other cities. We will end up being like Detroit if she’s your president,” Trump said of Harris. “You’re going to have a mess on your hands.” Despite the storm, Trump and Harris are slated to visit key swing states on Thursday, using their travel strategically to increase support with key voting blocs who could decide an election expected to be exceedingly close.
In Michigan, Trump is looking to appeal to primarily to blue-collar voters, while Harris is out west aiming to increase support among Hispanic voters, especially men. Her campaign has launched initiatives such as Hombres con Harris, which is planning to hold events at Latino-owned small businesses, union halls, barbecues, and community events until Election Day. Harris’s campaign has also focused on reaching Hispanic voters who may not be closely following the election by doing things like attending events like the recent boxing match between Canelo Alvarez and Edgar Berlanga in Las Vegas, and holding events at churches and elsewhere to mark Mexican Independence Day in September.
The article highlights the stark contrast in how Trump and Harris are approaching the hurricane relief efforts, with Trump using the opportunity to attack his opponent and claim that the federal response has been lacking, while Harris seems more focused on providing support and resources to those affected by the storms. The article also notes that the election is expected to be exceedingly close, and that both candidates are using their travel and campaign efforts strategically to try to increase support with key voting blocs.
