Republican Senator and vice presidential nominee JD Vance told a crowd Friday that the federal government displayed “bureaucratic incompetence” when Helene devastated Western North Carolina last month.
Vance spoke at a campaign-hosted town hall in Monroe and answered questions from supporters.
Helene’s flooding destroyed much of Western North Carolina. This week, the General Assembly passed another $604 million for disaster relief. Gov. Roy Cooper has signed executive orders offering more help.
“What happened with the federal response was pure bureaucratic incompetence,” Vance told the crowd at the Charlotte-Monroe Executive Airport.
He compared Helene to a 2010 earthquake in Haiti, in which the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division got to Port-au-Prince two days later.
“The 82nd Airborne was an hour away from Western North Carolina and didn’t get there for a week,” he said. “That is a disgrace, and it’s a disgrace from the military leadership — speaking particularly of Kamala Harris because we know that the members of the 82nd Airborne would have been thrilled to go the day after the hurricane hit. Why didn’t Kamala Harris and Joe Biden order them to do so?”
President Joe Biden announced Oct. 2, five days after Helene hit the mountains, that he would “immediately” send 1,000 soldiers from Fort Mill to the area. They joined North Carolina Guard members activated before the storm hit.
Trump’s claims
Vance’s running mate, former President Donald Trump, has been criticized for spreading misinformation about Helene and the response to it in North Carolina.
“I’ll be there shortly, but don’t like the reports that I’m getting about the Federal Government, and the Democrat Governor of the State, going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas. MAGA!” the former president posted on social media, talking about North Carolina.
Asked later for a source for the claim, Trump declined to give one, instead telling a reporter to “take a look.”
Trump also falsely claimed that Cooper blocked “people and money” from coming into North Carolina, and that FEMA diverted disaster relief funds to house people living in the country without legal authorization.
Other issues
Vance was joined by Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump. He took questions from supporters and discussed other topics.
On the southern border: “We’re going to have better education, better health care, lower housing (costs) and we’re going to tackle this fentanyl crisis because Donald J. Trump is going to close the border. And we’re going to start the very first day.”
On energy and lowering prices: “It’s the simplest but it’s actually the most important policy proposal to lower prices, and that’s drill, baby, drill. Some don’t appreciate that when energy goes up, everything becomes more expensive. Think about it. If the truck driver who’s delivering food to the grocery store is paying 45% more for diesel, then we’re all paying more for groceries.”
On Social Security: “When Kamala Harris says that we’re going to go after Social Security, it’s the most ridiculous thing that I’ve ever heard. Donald Trump was president for four years. He already protected Social Security, and he’s going to do it again now.”
While Vance campaigned in Monroe, former President Barack Obama campaigned for Vice President Kamala Harris in Charlotte.
Election day is Nov. 5.
