Donald Trump inspects North Carolina after hurricane, criticizes FEMA | World News – Times of India

Former president Donald Trump recently assaulted federal emergency workers during his inspection of Hurricane Helendamage in North Carolina. This criticism comes amid challenges workers face, including harassment and misinformation.
Trump dismissed concerns about the hurricane affecting North Carolina’s upcoming election results. He fielded questions about his comments about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), defending his criticism despite threats from armed militias causing FEMA to stop their work.
According to the AP news agency, Trump repeated a baseless claim previously refuted by a congressman Chuck Edwardsthat FEMA diverted resources to help undocumented migrants.
“You have to let people know how they’re performing,” Trump said in Swannanoa, near Asheville. “If they are doing a good job, we have to recognize it. But if they’re not, why not point it out?’
With the election fast approaching, both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are stepping up their campaigns. Trump made three stops in North Carolina on Monday, including a rally in Greenville and a faith leaders event in Concord, where he touched on key issues such as transgender athletes and deportation. He claims that no president has fought for Christians as he has during his administration.
Harris, meanwhile, spent Monday campaigning in critical states like Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, holding discussions with Republican Liz Cheney aimed at wooing voters disaffected with Trump.
Hurricane Helena disrupted voting in North Carolina
Hurricane Helena forced many North Carolina counties to relocate polling stations, leaving thousands of voters displaced or without power. Both parties are working hard to ensure turnout remains high despite these disruptions.
Republican National Committee Speaker Michael Whatley assured voters that every effort was being made to inform them of the changes, while Democrats, led by state Sen. Natalie Murdoch, mobilized workers in affected districts to help with voter and relief efforts.
Despite the widespread damage, Trump remained confident in the state’s election process, saying, “I think they have a pretty solid system here.”
Governor Cooper is pushing for a nonpartisan recovery
Governor Roy Cooper called for unity after the storm, urging Trump to avoid spreading misinformation about the recovery process. He emphasized the importance of providing both aid and fairness to storm victims, saying, “Storm recovery should not be politicized.”
White House press secretary Karin Jean-Pierre also condemned Trump’s remarks, calling them dangerous and unhelpful. She noted that FEMA has deployed 5,500 personnel to North Carolina and Florida and has already approved $2 billion in federal aid.
Election momentum is heating up in North Carolina
North Carolina, with its history of split-ticket voting, is attracting considerable attention in the run-up to the election. Democrats are hoping to capitalize on the recent controversy surrounding the Republican gubernatorial nominee Mark Robinsonalong with criticism of Trump to bolster support for Vice President Harris and the Democratic nominee Josh Stein.
When asked if he supported Robinson, Trump sidestepped the question, saying, “I’m not up to speed on the current state of the race.”