White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Fox News reporter Peter Doocy clashed during a press briefing on Monday, when Doocy questioned Washington’s decisions regarding humanitarian aid. He inquired about the Biden administration’s decision to send $157 million in aid to Lebanon amid Israel’s ongoing conflict, despite requiring additional funding from Congress for disaster relief efforts in North Carolina following Hurricane Helene.
Jean-Pierre responded by stating that the White House had already allocated over $200 million for disaster relief, accusing Doocy of spreading disinformation. She argued that the administration had the money available to assist storm victims and that President Joe Biden’s letter requesting additional funding was necessary due to uncertainty regarding Hurricane Milton’s potential impact on the Gulf of Mexico.
The heated exchange ended with Jean-Pierre urging Congress, currently in recess ahead of November’s presidential election, to “come back and do their job” before concluding the briefing. Hurricane Helene caused significant damage across the American southeast, resulting in more than 225 deaths and leaving tens of thousands without basic amenities.
Former US President Donald Trump has also criticized the White House’s response to Hurricane Helene, accusing the Biden administration of “abandoning” storm victims and sending relief funds to undocumented migrants. However, Trump faced criticism from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Monday, with administrator Deanne Criswell stating that he was having difficulty discerning between fact and fiction, calling such claims “frankly ridiculous.