Former President Donald Trump is seeking political leverage in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The ex-president is assailing the Biden administration’s response to the hurricane, and he announced plans to visit Georgia Monday as the southeastern United States struggles to recover from the disaster that has killed more than 100 people.
Trump’s rush to Georgia — an important swing state in the upcoming November presidential election — is the latest example of the former president heading to the sites of disasters as he seeks a political advantage. His critics deride the visits as photo-ops that pull needed resources away from recovery efforts.
“Just what every disaster needs — a politician showing up,” said Craig Fugate, who led the Federal Emergency Management Agency from 2009 until 2017. “It’s political posturing, and it takes away from response because the Secret Service and all of the security requirements are going to take away from what is still a very active response and rescue operation,” Fugate said. “They still haven’t reached people in those areas.”
