Fact Check
Trump�s False Claims About the Federal Response to Hurricane Helene
The former president falsely accused the Biden administration of spending
disaster funding on migrants, neglecting areas that had voted for
Republicans and ignoring a call from a Republican governor.

Former President Donald J. Trump, wearing a blue suit, a red tie and a red
Make America Great Again hat, stands in front of a destroyed brick building
with a crowd behind him.
Former President Donald J. Trump on Monday at a furniture store in
Valdosta, Ga., destroyed by Hurricane Helene.Credit...Doug Mills/The New
York Times
Linda Qiu
By Linda Qiu
Reporting from Washington
Oct. 4, 2024, 6:54 p.m. ET
After Hurricane Helene battered several Southeastern states last week,
former President Donald J. Trump wasted no time in criticizing President
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the federal government�s
response � often making false accusations.
Mr. Trump�s supporters, including Elon Musk and Republicans on the House
Judiciary Committee, have seized on the claims, parroting his talking
points to undercut the administration.
Here�s a fact check of Mr. Trump�s recent remarks.
What Was Said
�Kamala spent all her FEMA money, billions of dollars, on housing for
illegal migrants.�
� Mr. Trump at a rally in Michigan on Thursday
False. Funding for migrant shelters did not amount to �billions of
dollars,� nor did it deplete the coffers of the Federal Emergency
Management Agency. And no disaster funding has been spent on those
shelters.
FEMA, like all other federal agencies, receives funding from Congress for
specific functions. Its disaster relief fund received almost $36 billion in
funding for the 2024 fiscal year, which ended in September. Outside that
fund, FEMA also received more than $5 billion for its National Flood
Insurance Program; more than $1.5 billion for personnel, procurement and
facilities; and almost $4 billion for federal grant programs it
administers.
Mr. Trump�s allies have specifically focused on one of those initiatives,
the Shelter and Services Program. Created in 2023 by Congress, the program
doles out grants to groups and localities that provide shelter and other
services to migrants released from the custody of the Department of
Homeland Security, which FEMA is a part of. Its $650 million in funding for
the 2024 fiscal year came from Customs and Border Protection�s budget. That
amount is equal to less than 2 percent of the disaster relief funding and
even less compared with FEMA�s total funding for that fiscal year.
In other words, the shelter program and the disaster relief fund have two
separate streams of funding. A spokeswoman from FEMA also said the Biden
administration has never diverted any disaster relief funding for migrant
shelters or any other purpose, adding that the claims from Mr. Trump and
others are �completely false.�
Officials have said that there is enough money to address immediate rescue-
and-recovery needs that arise from Hurricane Helene�s destruction, but
cleanup could cost billions more and FEMA does not have enough funding for
additional storms.
In late September, President Biden signed into law short-term funding that
extended 2024 fiscal year funding levels through Dec. 20. It specifically
gave FEMA access to a full year�s worth of disaster relief funding. In a
news conference on Wednesday, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security
secretary, acknowledged that FEMA could �dip into funds that are slated for
the duration of the year to meet immediate needs.�
�But that doesn�t speak about the future and the fact, as I mentioned
earlier, that these extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and
severity, and we have to be funded for the sake of the American people,� he
added. �This is not a political issue.�
Moreover, it is unclear how much funding earmarked for migrant shelters
FEMA could legally divert for disaster relief, at least without
congressional approval. The funding package for the 2024 fiscal year, and
in turn the short-term funding extension, specifies that funding dedicated
to homeland security cannot be repurposed in a way that augments or reduces
funding for existing programs by 10 percent.
What Was Said
�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.�
� Mr. Trump in a post on Truth Social on Monday
This lacks evidence. While some have criticized the federal response and
emergency responders faced obstacles in reaching some areas, there is no
evidence that the Biden administration was purposefully ignoring the needs
of Republican areas. In fact, Republican governors have praised the Biden
administration for its response, and FEMA has designated counties in
several states � including dozens won by Mr. Trump in the 2020 presidential
election � as eligible to apply for federal assistance.
The Republican governors of Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee have all
thanked the federal government and described the federal response as fast.
Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, also a Republican, said that FEMA had been
embedded in the state operations center in Atlanta since before the storm
hit and �we got a great relationship with them.�
FEMA has said it has deployed more than 1,000 personnel across the affected
areas to deliver more than 1.9 million meals, over one million liters of
water, 30 generators and more than 95,000 tarps.
Of more than 20 counties designated in Florida as eligible for individual
and public assistance, as of Oct. 3, Mr. Trump lost just three in the 2020
election (Leon, Pinellas and Hillsborough). Of more than 20 in North
Carolina, as of Oct. 2, Mr. Trump lost just two (Buncombe and Watauga). And
of about 15 counties in South Carolina, as of Sept. 29, Mr. Trump lost just
one (Bamberg).
What Was Said
�He�s been calling the president, hasn�t been able to get him.�
� Mr. Trump at a news conference on Monday
False. Mr. Trump was referring to Mr. Kemp, who earlier that day spoke
about his phone call on Sunday with Mr. Biden.
Mr. Kemp said that when Mr. Biden initially reached out on Sunday, he
missed the call but he �called him right back.�
�He just said, �Hey, what do you need?� And I told him: �You know, we got
what we need. We�ll work through the federal process.� He offered that if
there�s other things we need, just to call him directly, which I appreciate
that,� Mr. Kemp added.

On 10/5/2024 6:29 PM, Craig wrote:
> Fact Check
> Trump’s False Claims About the Federal Response to Hurricane Helene
> The former president falsely accused the Biden administration of spending
> disaster funding on migrants, neglecting areas that had voted for
> Republicans and ignoring a call from a Republican governor.
>
> Former President Donald J. Trump, wearing a blue suit, a red tie and a red
> Make America Great Again hat, stands in front of a destroyed brick building
> with a crowd behind him.
> Former President Donald J. Trump on Monday at a furniture store in
> Valdosta, Ga., destroyed by Hurricane Helene.Credit...Doug Mills/The New
> York Times
> Linda Qiu
> By Linda Qiu
> Reporting from Washington
> Oct. 4, 2024, 6:54 p.m. ET
> After Hurricane Helene battered several Southeastern states last week,
> former President Donald J. Trump wasted no time in criticizing President
> Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for the federal government’s
> response — often making false accusations.
> Mr. Trump’s supporters, including Elon Musk and Republicans on the House
> Judiciary Committee, have seized on the claims, parroting his talking
> points to undercut the administration.
> Here’s a fact check of Mr. Trump’s recent remarks.
> What Was Said
> “Kamala spent all her FEMA money, billions of dollars, on housing for
> illegal migrants.”
> — Mr. Trump at a rally in Michigan on Thursday
> False. Funding for migrant shelters did not amount to “billions of
> dollars,” nor did it deplete the coffers of the Federal Emergency
> Management Agency. And no disaster funding has been spent on those
> shelters.
> FEMA, like all other federal agencies, receives funding from Congress for
> specific functions. Its disaster relief fund received almost $36 billion in
> funding for the 2024 fiscal year, which ended in September. Outside that
> fund, FEMA also received more than $5 billion for its National Flood
> Insurance Program; more than $1.5 billion for personnel, procurement and
> facilities; and almost $4 billion for federal grant programs it
> administers.
> Mr. Trump’s allies have specifically focused on one of those initiatives,
> the Shelter and Services Program. Created in 2023 by Congress, the program
> doles out grants to groups and localities that provide shelter and other
> services to migrants released from the custody of the Department of
> Homeland Security, which FEMA is a part of. Its $650 million in funding for
> the 2024 fiscal year came from Customs and Border Protection’s budget. That
> amount is equal to less than 2 percent of the disaster relief funding and
> even less compared with FEMA’s total funding for that fiscal year.
> In other words, the shelter program and the disaster relief fund have two
> separate streams of funding. A spokeswoman from FEMA also said the Biden
> administration has never diverted any disaster relief funding for migrant
> shelters or any other purpose, adding that the claims from Mr. Trump and
> others are “completely false.”
> Officials have said that there is enough money to address immediate rescue-
> and-recovery needs that arise from Hurricane Helene’s destruction, but
> cleanup could cost billions more and FEMA does not have enough funding for
> additional storms.
> In late September, President Biden signed into law short-term funding that
> extended 2024 fiscal year funding levels through Dec. 20. It specifically
> gave FEMA access to a full year’s worth of disaster relief funding. In a
> news conference on Wednesday, Alejandro N. Mayorkas, the homeland security
> secretary, acknowledged that FEMA could “dip into funds that are slated for
> the duration of the year to meet immediate needs.”
> “But that doesn’t speak about the future and the fact, as I mentioned
> earlier, that these extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and
> severity, and we have to be funded for the sake of the American people,” he
> added. “This is not a political issue.”
> Moreover, it is unclear how much funding earmarked for migrant shelters
> FEMA could legally divert for disaster relief, at least without
> congressional approval. The funding package for the 2024 fiscal year, and
> in turn the short-term funding extension, specifies that funding dedicated
> to homeland security cannot be repurposed in a way that augments or reduces
> funding for existing programs by 10 percent.
> What Was Said
> “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.”
> — Mr. Trump in a post on Truth Social on Monday
> This lacks evidence. While some have criticized the federal response and
> emergency responders faced obstacles in reaching some areas, there is no
> evidence that the Biden administration was purposefully ignoring the needs
> of Republican areas. In fact, Republican governors have praised the Biden
> administration for its response, and FEMA has designated counties in
> several states — including dozens won by Mr. Trump in the 2020 presidential
> election — as eligible to apply for federal assistance.
> The Republican governors of Virginia, South Carolina and Tennessee have all
> thanked the federal government and described the federal response as fast.
> Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia, also a Republican, said that FEMA had been
> embedded in the state operations center in Atlanta since before the storm
> hit and “we got a great relationship with them.”
> FEMA has said it has deployed more than 1,000 personnel across the affected
> areas to deliver more than 1.9 million meals, over one million liters of
> water, 30 generators and more than 95,000 tarps.
> Of more than 20 counties designated in Florida as eligible for individual
> and public assistance, as of Oct. 3, Mr. Trump lost just three in the 2020
> election (Leon, Pinellas and Hillsborough). Of more than 20 in North
> Carolina, as of Oct. 2, Mr. Trump lost just two (Buncombe and Watauga). And
> of about 15 counties in South Carolina, as of Sept. 29, Mr. Trump lost just
> one (Bamberg).
> What Was Said
> “He’s been calling the president, hasn’t been able to get him.”
> — Mr. Trump at a news conference on Monday
> False. Mr. Trump was referring to Mr. Kemp, who earlier that day spoke
> about his phone call on Sunday with Mr. Biden.
> Mr. Kemp said that when Mr. Biden initially reached out on Sunday, he
> missed the call but he “called him right back.”
> “He just said, ‘Hey, what do you need?’ And I told him: ‘You know, we got
> what we need. We’ll work through the federal process.’ He offered that if
> there’s other things we need, just to call him directly, which I appreciate
> that,” Mr. Kemp added.
>

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