04/20/2025 --dailykos
In early October 2024, Hurricane Helene devastated entire swaths of rural western North Carolina. A battleground state, then-candidate Donald Trump happily 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 Truth Social. At a campaign event in North Carolina on October 4, he claimed that the Federal Emergency Management Agency 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, of course, was that the Biden administration would rather spend money on scary brown people than on helping disaster victims recover. In another instance, Trump claimed that the $750 that FEMA was giving out in emergency immediate aid was the full 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 said. In reality, FEMA could provide up to $42,500 in home repair assistance. The operative word is “could.” Because despite all of his histrionics over the Biden administration’s disaster response, he has zero interest in helping anyone out now that he’s in office. Not even $750. Earlier this week, FEMA announced that it would no longer cover the costs of North Carolina’s recovery efforts. President Joe Biden had covered 100%. Trump decided zero was better. A bridge in Tennessee is destroyed in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Oct. 4, 2024.In ruby-red Arkansas, Trump denied disaster aid 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 decision 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 gets for supporting Trump. They were happy with him when he was hurting other people, but suddenly they’re less happy now that he’s hurting them. Another blood-red state, Louisiana, is similarly missing FEMA assistance. Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana called from the Senate floor Thursday evening for FEMA to reverse its decision to end a program that helped Louisiana raise levees, elevate homes, and otherwise brace for hurricanes and floods. “I can tell you, folks in South Louisiana–Terrebonne, Lafourche, Ascension, and in places you wouldn’t expect to flood, like Livingston Parish–they overwhelmingly support President Trump, and they overwhelmingly support flood prevention investments like BRIC," Cassidy said.Because it’s okay when Trump hurts people—as long as they don’t overwhelmingly support him. FEMA also paused hurricane preparedness planning for the upcoming hurricane season. Which states will that affect the most? Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas—all solidly Republican states. In fact, an Associated Press analysis of federal disaster aid found that about two-thirds of the top 15 states in total FEMA funds, FEMA spending per person, and the number of federally declared disasters are GOP-led. Those include Florida, Louisiana, Alaska, Tennessee, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.And who subsidizes their aid? Blue states, particularly California, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Washington. The Gulf states are particularly screwed—FEMA disbursed $1 billion in Florida alone last year as a result of Hurricanes Milton, Debby, and Helene. As climate change increases the frequency and severity of hurricanes, Florida’s prognosis isn’t great, and private insurance sure as heck isn’t picking up the slack.For his part, Trump hasn’t been shy in expressing hostility toward FEMA. In a March 19 executive order, he demanded that state and local governments “play a more active and significant role” in dealing 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 said while touring wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles in January.That same day, Trump shared a similar sentiment while touring North Carolina’s storm-ravaged regions. “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 said.Trump supporters are going to have to start stocking up on boot straps. But it’ll all be worth it because billionaire Elon Musk will get himself an even bigger tax cut, and some trans kids won’t be able to play sports with their friends. You know, priorities. Campaign Action
