In the days after Hurricane Helene ravaged communities across the southeastern United States, President Joe Biden has been criticized for his response to the natural disaster. Particularly, the president has faced backlash for taking another beach vacation at his Delaware home amid the devastation of the hurricane, leaving communities crippled with a death toll that continues to climb.
During a recent press conference, President Biden was questioned by a reporter as to why he wasn’t leading a response from the federal government in Washington, D.C., opting to vacation at the beach instead. Furthermore, the reporter acknowledged that Vice President Kamala Harris was also absent from the White House, leading her campaign efforts elsewhere.
“On the hurricane, Mr. President, why weren’t you and Vice President Harris here in Washington commanding this this weekend?” Biden was asked. The president quickly snapped at the reporter firing back, “I was commanding, I was on the phone for at least two hours yesterday and the day before as well. I command. It’s called a telephone.”
Conservatives on social media have called out President Bide after his comment to the reporter. “An indignant Biden snaps back at reporters that dare ask why he wasn’t in the White House instead of on a Delaware beach as Americans were being wiped out by Hurricane Helene,” conservative commentator Kevin Dalton wrote. Another person commented, “Biden just proved he’s useless,” demonstrating a sentiment that Biden is coasting through the remainder of his presidency after withdrawing from the race in July.
The criticism toward the Biden-Harris administration’s response, or lack thereof, to Hurricane Helene appears to have motivated the president to be more proactive toward the disaster. President Biden released a statement earlier this week explaining various initiatives that are underway to help impacted communities across the southeast.
President Biden’s statement shared to X said, “Even before Hurricane Helene hit, I directed my team to do everything possible to prepare to support communities in the storm’s path. I mobilized the entire Federal government to bring every possible resource to the fight to save lives and help those in urgent need. At my direction, the Secretary of Defense has just approved the deployment of up to one thousand active-duty soldiers to reinforce the North Carolina National Guard.
The statement continued, “These soldiers will speed up the delivery of life saving supplies of food, water, and medicine to isolated communities in North Carolina – they have the manpower and logistical capabilities to get this vital job done, and fast. They will join hundreds of North Carolina National Guard members deployed under State authorities in support of the response. Hurricane Helene has been a storm of historic proportion. My heart goes out to everyone who has experienced unthinkable loss. We are here for you – and we will stay here for as long as it takes.”
Biden also delivered remarks on the Hurricane, where he said, “I don’t have to tell this group that Hurricane Helene has been a storm literally of historic proportions. The damage is still being assessed but — and many people are still unaccounted for. So, I’m here to say the United States, the nation has your back. The nation has your back. We’re not leaving until you’re back on your feet completely.”
Watch Biden snap at the reporter below:
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