Washington
CNN
—

Former President Donald Trump, seeking to politically exploit the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, falsely claimed in a social media post on Thursday that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris “receive universally POOR REVIEW for the way they have dealt with.” the hurricane.” , especially in North Carolina.”

Facts first: Trump is wrong. The Biden administration's response to the hurricane received bipartisan praise from the political leaders of the affected states.

This praise was not universal; There was also some criticism and some ambivalence. But Trump's claim that reviews of the Biden administration's handling of the crisis have been consistently negative is untrue.

And this is just the latest false claim from Trump on the subject of the administration's hurricane response.

On Monday, Trump falsely said that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp had failed to call Biden, even though Kemp said the same day he had already spoken to Biden. And Trump baselessly claimed Monday that the federal government and Democratic North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper intentionally failed to help residents of Republican communities in the state; Trump provided no evidence to support the claim when pressed by a reporter.

Several Republican governors in the southeastern states hit by Hurricane Helene praised the Biden administration's response, sometimes mentioning Biden in particular.

Republican South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said at a news conference Tuesday that federal aid has been “outstanding,” noting that Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg have both called and told him to let them know what the state needs. McMaster added that Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell also called. He said, “So we get help and ask for whatever we need.”

The Republican Governor of Virginia, Glenn Youngkin, said at a press conference on Monday: “I am incredibly grateful for the quick response and cooperation of the federal team at FEMA.” In a press release the day before, he expressly thanked Biden, among others.

Tennessee's Republican Gov. Bill Lee said at a news conference Wednesday that the federal government's response to his emergency declaration “was quick,” adding that there was “frankly a quick turnaround” in making the state eligible for some to provide federal reimbursements.

At a news conference on Tuesday, Lee spoke of a “rush” of officials “from federal to state to local, local emergency management and local county mayors with tears in their eyes who are out there serving their people.” There's a lot of hope when you see what's behind the effort, the coordinated effort in this community to start rebuilding.”

Cooper, the North Carolina governor, has repeatedly praised the federal response. During the president's visit to North Carolina on Wednesday, Cooper sat next to Biden and said, “We are grateful for the quick action and close communication we had with the President and the FEMA team,” adding moments later: “And Mr. President, we know we have asked a lot of you, and we are grateful for your ear and your actions.”

Cooper said in a briefing Tuesday: “I have briefed President Biden and Vice President Harris twice each, and they have committed all available resources to this recovery.” I appreciate the President's quick approval of our disaster declaration this weekend and his direction that FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell will continue to be on site,” he said that residents have already begun receiving relief funds.

The Democratic mayor of the hard-hit North Carolina city of Asheville, Esther Manheimer, said Tuesday on MSNBC: “We're seeing incredible help, from the federal government to the state to the private sector to the nonprofit sector to faith-based organizations,” all pouring in “Here with your help.” She emphasized that rebuilding from the “catastrophic” situation would take a long time anyway.