U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are scheduled to visit areas devastated by Hurricane Helene on Wednesday, arriving approximately 72 hours after former President Donald Trump made a similar journey. Trump visited the affected town of Valdosta in Georgia on Monday, accompanied by a Christian charity organization that brought trucks full of fuel, food, water, and other supplies. The death toll is now nearing 160 people, with some areas still without power or cellular service.
During his visit, Trump criticized Biden for not yet having visited the affected regions and accused him of “sleeping” and ignoring calls from Georgia Governor Brian Kemp. Biden will visit North Carolina, where he will make a helicopter trip over the flood-hit city of Asheville, one of the worst-hit areas by the storm’s destructive path through the southeastern United States. The octogenarian president will also visit a rescue command center in the state, where more than 70 people have been killed, and travel to neighboring South Carolina.
Officials report that Hurricane Helene has left up to 600 people unaccounted for across several states, with the death toll continuing to rise. Both President Biden and Vice President Harris were criticized for not having visited the disaster area earlier, prompting angry responses from both politicians when questioned about their absence.
Biden defended his actions by stating that he had been “commanding” the relief efforts via telephone, spending at least two hours on calls over the weekend. Similarly, Vice President Harris spent her weekend attending fundraisers in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Las Vegas before traveling to Georgia for a visit to the affected area.