On Tuesday, October 8, U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris expressed her belief that former President Donald Trump lacks empathy for others, particularly following his criticism of the federal government's response to Hurricane Helene.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene and with Hurricane Milton approaching Florida, Trump has repeatedly claimed—without evidence—that the Biden administration is misallocating disaster relief funds to unrelated migrant programs. While the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) does manage grants for housing and migrant assistance, these funds are separate from disaster relief.
Trump has also accused the Biden administration of bias against Republicans in its handling of the hurricane crisis.
During an interview on ABC’s The View, Harris reflected on her visits to Georgia and North Carolina, where she witnessed firsthand the devastation caused by the hurricane. She noted that at least 235 people have died due to Hurricane Helene, and Hurricane Milton is rapidly intensifying, currently classified as a powerful Category 4 storm, expected to make landfall on Wednesday night.
“It’s profound, and it is the height of irresponsibility and frankly callousness,” Harris stated. “Lives are literally at stake right now. We’re talking about real human beings who are losing everything.”
She criticized Trump for prioritizing his own interests over the needs of others, stating, “I fear that he really lacks empathy on a very basic level. The role of a leader is not to beat people down; it’s to lift people up, especially in a time of crisis.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas also addressed the issue of misinformation regarding relief efforts, highlighting its negative impact on disaster survivors. “Disinformation harms survivors of a disaster because they lose trust in their government and do not seek the assistance that they need and to which they are entitled,” Mayorkas said during a CNN interview.
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