As the death toll from Hurricane Helene climbs to at least 130, President Joe Biden staunchly defended his administration’s response to the devastating storm, which has ravaged the southeastern U.S. With hundreds still missing, Biden announced plans to visit North Carolina on Wednesday to oversee ongoing rescue efforts.
Biden’s defense comes as the disaster becomes a focal point in the upcoming election, with former president Donald Trump accusing the federal government of neglecting affected regions. Biden swiftly rebutted Trump’s claims, labeling them as false and irresponsible. “He’s lying,” Biden said, adding that North Carolina Governor Ray Cooper confirmed the administration’s commitment to relief efforts.
Hurricane Helene’s death toll has hit hard across multiple states, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia, with emergency workers continuing the search for the missing and working to restore essential services. The number of fatalities is expected to rise, as authorities struggle with disrupted communication and infrastructure.
Trump, campaigning in Georgia, criticized Biden for being “unresponsive,” while pledging his own support to provide relief materials. Meanwhile, Vice President Kamala Harris returned to Washington to monitor federal relief efforts. The Biden administration, while fending off political attacks, emphasized that the storm’s severity was likely exacerbated by climate change, with Biden affirming that global warming played a major role in the storm’s rapid intensification.
As federal and state officials scramble to bring aid to devastated communities, the disaster response remains a central issue in the heated final weeks of the presidential election.
