The Biden-Harris administration is eyeing landfall of a devastating hurricane in Florida even as it weathers accusations that its search-and-rescue efforts in North Carolina are falling short and forcing citizens and aid groups to fill gaps in the recovery from Hurricane Helene.
Hurricane Milton could develop into a Category 5 storm and batter the Tampa area by late Wednesday, pushing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to the brink as it tries to deal with a rising death toll in the Tarheel State.
“We’re going to support the communities with whatever they need,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said. “That is our commitment to the folks who are going to be impacted.”
“Please, please, please listen to local officials, it could save your life,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said.
The White House said Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, is being briefed on Milton and Mr. Biden is monitoring both situations but will not postpone a planned trip to Germany on Thursday.
Milton barreled across the Gulf Coast and toward Florida’s west coast on Monday, packing 175 mph winds. The previous storm, Helene, slammed into Florida at the end of September but its most shocking devastation unfolded in the Tarheel State, where about half of the storm’s at least 225 deaths occurred.
Rep. Cory Mills, a Florida Republican and Army combat veteran who is leading rescue missions in North Carolina, said crews may be recovering bodies from North Carolina “through the end of the year” and he thinks the death toll is a severe undercount.
“I don’t think that they’re accurate,” Mr. Mills told Fox News, saying he’s heard death estimates over 400.
The Biden-Harris administration is under intense pressure to help North Carolina recover from the storm, particularly in an election year. Mr. Biden over the weekend sent an additional 500 active-duty troops to the area, bringing the total to 1,500.
Critics said the federal rescue and relief is still moving slowly more than a week after the storm tore across the Southeast.
Politics is looming in the background of the Helene aftermath because North Carolina is a swing state that could determine who wins the presidency.
On a press call, FEMA officials said they won’t divert any required resources in North Carolina for Helene to the response to Milton.
Former President Donald Trump said North Carolinians are being “stood up” by Mr. Biden and Ms. Harris, pointing to persons stranded in parts of western North Carolina and billions of dollars spent elsewhere.
“North Carolina has been virtually abandoned by Kamala!!! Drop her like she dropped you,” Mr. Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Mr. Trump and other Republicans have said FEMA lacks money for disaster relief because it has spent heavily on caring for illegal immigrants. FEMA said the money to house migrants comes from a separate pool of money approved by Congress.
GOP critics also pointed to the number of dollars that are flowing overseas, including to parts of the Middle East, while Americans suffer.
“Kamala is touting giving money to the people of Lebanon — while stiff-arming the humanitarian crisis in North Carolina,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, wrote on X over the weekend. “This is Kamala’s Katrina.”
The White House and some North Carolinian politicians bristled over criticism.
State Rep. Jeff Jackson, a Democrat running for state attorney general, released a video trying to dispel rumors about the situation. He said FEMA doesn’t have the authority to take over someone’s land; that people who are turned away at checkpoints are heading down roads that have been destroyed; and while private supply planes are allowed, they need clearance to avoid collisions in the busy air space.
“Bottom line: Western North Carolina is pulling together. They need our support. This is the beginning of a long-term mission,” he said.
• Mallory Wilson contributed to this report.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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