Georgia Governor Kemp Praises Biden’s Hurricane Response Amidst Trump’s Criticism
Special Poll
Georgia Governor Brian Kemp recently commended President Biden and the federal government for their prompt response to Hurricane Helene, offering a contrasting view to former President Donald Trump’s critique. During Trump’s visit to Georgia on Monday, he claimed that Kemp had difficulty getting in touch with Biden regarding federal assistance. However, Kemp’s account paints a different picture.
Speaking to reporters, Governor Kemp confirmed that President Biden had reached out to him on Sunday, offering federal support to Georgia in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Kemp described the call, saying, “He [Biden] just asked, ‘What do you need?’ I told him we’ve got what we need and that we’re working through the federal process. He assured me that if we needed anything else, I could contact him directly. I appreciate that level of communication. We’ve had FEMA working closely with us since a day or two before the storm even hit.”
White House officials also confirmed that Biden and Kemp had spoken, with homeland security adviser Liz Sherwood-Randall reiterating that the president is ready to assist Georgia as needed throughout the recovery.
Meanwhile, Trump visited Valdosta, Georgia, to survey the damage from the storm. While offering his support to the affected communities, Trump criticized Biden’s response, stating, “The governor’s doing a good job, but he’s had a hard time getting the president on the phone. The federal government hasn’t been as responsive as it should be.”
Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida as a Category 4 storm, unleashing severe winds and heavy rain across several states, including Georgia. The devastation has left approximately 600 people unaccounted for across multiple states, according to White House reports.
Vice President Kamala Harris also took swift action in response to the hurricane. She cut short a campaign trip on the West Coast to return to Washington, D.C., where she visited the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) headquarters for updates on the federal response and the storm’s impacts. She also communicated with state governors from the affected regions, including North Carolina’s Roy Cooper and Florida’s Ron DeSantis, to assess their needs.
Both federal and state officials remain focused on recovery efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, with the hardest-hit areas being Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina.