Harris slams Trump for ‘disinformation’ over hurricane response

Kamala Harris has used an appearance at a campaign rally in North Carolina to blast Donald Trump for spreading misinformation about the Biden administration’s hurricane response.

Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, did not say Trump’s name but he is most prominent among those promoting false claims about how the government reacted to Hurricanes Milton and Helene.

Florida was in the path of both storms, with Helene also hitting North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia, while Milton headed for the open Atlantic.

The vice president spoke at the Koinonia Christian Centre about the “heroes” all around who are helping residents without regard to political affiliation.

“Yet, church, there are some who are not acting in the spirit of community and I am speaking of these who have been literally not telling the truth, lying about people who are working hard to help the folks in need, spreading disinformation when the truth and facts are required,” she said.

“The problem with this, beyond the obvious, is it’s making it harder, then, to get people life-saving information if they’re led to believe they cannot trust.”

Trump made a series of false claims after Helene struck in late September, including saying that Washington was intentionally withholding aid from Republicans in need across the Southeast.

The former president falsely claimed the Federal Emergency Management Agency had run out of money to help them because it was spent on programs to help immigrants who are in the United States illegally.

He pressed that argument on Fox News, saying the White House response was “absolutely terrible.”

While Harris was speaking in Greenville, Biden was in Florida to inspect hurricane-damaged areas, his second visit this month.

The president said he was thankful that Milton was not as bad as officials had anticipated, but that it still was a “cataclysmic” event for many people, including those who lost irreplaceable personal items.

He also praised the first responders, some of whom had come from Canada.

“It’s in moments like this we come together to take care of each other, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans,” Biden said.

With only 22 days until the 5 November presidential election, the race is as close as ever.

A new CNN Poll of Polls average shows no clear leader, with an average of 50% of voters expected to support Harris and 47% backing Trump.