Harris calls Trump 'irresponsible over Hurricane Helene aid misinformation

Trump accuses Biden administration of withholding aid from Republican voters and FEMA had run out of relief funds

US Vice President Kamala Harris on Monday sharply criticized former President Donald Trump for spreading misinformation about federal disaster relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, called Trump's claims "extraordinarily irresponsible" and accused him of playing politics at a critical time for survivors of the storm, which has devastated several states.

Trump, the leading Republican contender in the upcoming November 5 election, has made several false statements about the government's response to the disaster.

Among his claims was an accusation that the Biden administration was withholding aid from Republican voters and that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) had run out of funds because they had been diverted to support undocumented immigrants.

Harris, speaking to reporters before departing for New York on Air Force Two, refuted these statements. She assured the public that FEMA has ample resources to assist all affected residents.

"It is critically important that people apply for the help that is available to support them in rebuilding their lives," Harris said.

"These resources were created precisely for emergencies like this."

The vice president’s comments came as another storm, Hurricane Milton, approaches Florida's Gulf Coast, adding urgency to the ongoing disaster recovery efforts.

More than 220 people have already lost their lives in six states due to Hurricane Helene.

Trump’s statements have drawn widespread criticism, including from President Joe Biden, who dismissed the former president’s claims as lies.

Trump had said during a recent visit to Valdosta, Georgia, that Biden was "sleeping" and ignoring calls from Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, a claim that Kemp himself refuted.

Harris also aimed her criticism at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, accusing him of avoiding her calls in the aftermath of the storm and engaging in “political gamesmanship” instead of focusing on helping his state.

"It is selfish and irresponsible to play political games when people are in desperate need of support," Harris said.

DeSantis, however, denied receiving any calls from Harris and said on Monday that he had been in direct contact with President Biden regarding the state’s disaster response.

DeSantis, a Republican, is another high-profile figure in the race for the presidency, though his campaign has recently struggled to gain momentum.

He responded to Harris's remarks by calling her "delusional" and accused her of politicizing the disaster for her own campaign.

"She has no role in this. In fact, she’s been vice president for three and a half years, and she’s never contributed anything to these efforts," DeSantis said in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.

This is not the first time Trump has faced criticism for spreading misinformation during natural disasters. His administration’s handling of hurricane recovery efforts, particularly in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria in 2017, was widely criticized.

Trump had previously falsely claimed that the death toll from Maria was inflated to make him look bad, despite independent assessments confirming the severe impact of the storm.

With just weeks remaining before the election, the response to Hurricane Helene has become a contentious issue, with Harris and Trump trading barbs over how best to provide relief to affected communities.

As Hurricane Milton looms, both campaigns are likely to continue leveraging the issue in their final push for votes.

As the nation grapples with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene and braces for the impact of Hurricane Milton, political tensions over disaster response have intensified.

US officials have warned of life-threatening dangers from Hurricane Milton, which briefly reached Category 5 before returning to Category 4.

With winds up to 155 mph (250 km/h), Milton is expected to bring "potentially catastrophic" storm surges as it nears Florida.

The storm will hit Tampa Bay on Wednesday, just weeks after Hurricane Helene.

Governor Ron DeSantis urged residents to evacuate, warning time is quickly running out.

Vice President Harris and former President Trump remain locked in a heated exchange over the federal government's handling of relief efforts, with both seeking to sway voters ahead of the upcoming election.