In early October 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated complete swaths of rural western North Carolina. A battleground state, then-candidate Donald Trump fortunately pounced on the federal response.
“[I] don’t like the reports that I’m getting about the Federal Government, and the Democrat Governor of the State, going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas,” he wrote on Reality Social.
At a marketing campaign occasion in North Carolina on October 4, he claimed that the Federal Emergency Administration Company spent “$1 billion that they gave to migrants that came into our country. Some of them [are] murderers, some of them are drug dealers.”
The implication, after all, was that the Biden administration would quite spend cash on scary brown folks than on serving to catastrophe victims get better.
In one other occasion, Trump claimed that the $750 that FEMA was giving out in emergency fast support was the total sum of the federal response.
“They’re offering them $750, to people whose homes have been washed away. And yet we send tens of billions of dollars to foreign countries that most people have never heard of. They’re offering them $750. They’ve been destroyed, these people have been destroyed. Think of it: We give foreign countries hundreds of billions of dollars and we’re handing North Carolina $750,” he mentioned.
In actuality, FEMA might present as much as $42,500 in residence restore help.
The operative phrase is “could.” As a result of regardless of all of his histrionics over the Biden administration’s catastrophe response, he has zero curiosity in serving to anybody out now that he’s in workplace. Not even $750.
Earlier this week, FEMA introduced that it could now not cowl the prices of North Carolina’s restoration efforts. President Joe Biden had coated 100%. Trump determined zero was higher.
In ruby-red Arkansas, Trump denied catastrophe support requests from tornadoes that decimated the state in mid-March. He didn’t even give $750.
The state’s staunch Trump-supporting Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders appealed the choice on Friday.
“Arkansas communities are still recovering from this spring’s tornadoes, as the sheer magnitude of this event resulted in overwhelming amounts of debris, widespread destruction to homes and businesses, the tragic loss of three lives, and injuries to many others. To relieve the burden on these counties, cities, and towns, I am appealing FEMA’s decision to deny Arkansas’ Major Disaster Declaration request,” she wrote.
That’s what Arkansas will get for supporting Trump. They had been proud of him when he was hurting different folks, however abruptly they’re much less comfortable now that he’s hurting them.
One other blood-red state, Louisiana, is equally lacking FEMA help.
Sen. Invoice Cassidy of Louisiana known as from the Senate flooring Thursday night for FEMA to reverse its resolution to finish a program that helped Louisiana elevate levees, elevate properties, and in any other case brace for hurricanes and floods.
“I can inform you, of us in South Louisiana–Terrebonne, Lafourche, Ascension, and in locations you wouldn’t count on to flood, like Livingston Parish–they overwhelmingly help President Trump, and so they overwhelmingly help flood prevention investments like BRIC,” Cassidy mentioned.
As a result of it’s okay when Trump hurts folks—so long as they don’t overwhelmingly help him.
FEMA additionally paused hurricane preparedness planning for the upcoming hurricane season. Which states will that have an effect on probably the most? Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas—all solidly Republican states.
Actually, an Related Press evaluation of federal catastrophe support discovered that about two-thirds of the highest 15 states in complete FEMA funds, FEMA spending per particular person, and the variety of federally declared disasters are GOP-led. These embody Florida, Louisiana, Alaska, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.
And who subsidizes their support? Blue states, significantly California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington.
The Gulf states are significantly screwed—FEMA disbursed $1 billion in Florida alone final yr because of Hurricanes Milton, Debby, and Helene. As local weather change will increase the frequency and severity of hurricanes, Florida’s prognosis isn’t nice, and personal insurance coverage certain as heck isn’t choosing up the slack.
For his half, Trump hasn’t been shy in expressing hostility towards FEMA.
In a March 19 government order, he demanded that state and native governments “play a more active and significant role” in coping with disasters.
“I say you don’t need FEMA, you need a good state government. FEMA is a very expensive, in my opinion, mostly failed situation,” Trump mentioned whereas touring wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles in January.
That very same day, Trump shared an analogous sentiment whereas touring North Carolina’s storm-ravaged areas.
“Let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all the other things that happen. I think you’re going to find it a lot less expensive. You’ll do it for less than half and you’re going to get a lot quicker response,” he mentioned.
Trump supporters are going to have to start out stocking up on boot straps. Nevertheless it’ll all be value it as a result of billionaire Elon Musk will get himself an excellent larger tax lower, and a few trans children received’t be capable of play sports activities with their pals.
You already know, priorities.
