Vice President Kamala Harris is under intense scrutiny from Americans on social media for her lackluster response to the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. The storm made landfall as a strong Category 4 hurricane in Florida’s Big Bend region, with Florid Gov. Ron DeSantis leading the recovery efforts. However, many inland areas were caught off guard by the scale of destruction, such as Asheville, North Carolina, where at least 30 people were killed due to the storm’s aftermath.
The response from President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris has been a major point of concern for many, with some questioning their absence during times of disaster. RNC Research highlighted the lack of visible support from the administration by pointing out several locations affected by recent disasters where the Vice President and President were not seen in action.
Journalist Carmine Sabia compared Hurricane Helene’s devastation to that of Hurricane Katrina, questioning why the leaders are “AWOL” during these crises. Kamala Harris shared a photo on her Instagram account showing her supposedly on the phone with FEMA about the storm’s impacts and communicating with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper about rescue and recovery efforts in the state. However, this image was met with mockery due to her headphones not being plugged into her phone, suggesting that it was staged for publicity purposes.
Many social media users were critical of the administration’s response, questioning what they have been doing to help the affected regions. Some compared the aid provided to Ukraine under the Biden administration with the limited assistance offered to American citizens in disaster-stricken areas. Former President Donald Trump criticized Kamala Harris for being in San Francisco at fundraising events while many people in the United States were struggling due to Hurricane Helene’s impact and other natural disasters.
In contrast, Trump visited East Palestine, Ohio, after a toxic train derailment and brought relief supplies to the affected community, reminding them that they were not forgotten. Now, Trump is set to visit Valdosta, Georgia, following Hurricane Helene’s devastation in order to facilitate the distribution of relief supplies and provide support to those affected by the disaster. This highlights a stark contrast between the hands-on approach taken by Trump during times of crisis and the seemingly passive response from the current administration.