WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – President Joe Biden is calling misinformation about how his administration is responding to Hurricane Helene “un-American.”
From the White House on Tuesday, President Biden provided an update on what FEMA is doing to prepare ahead of Hurricane Milton, which is expected to make landfall in Florida this week.
It comes as misinformation continues to spread in communities that were hit the hardest by Helene less than two weeks ago. It includes false claims that the federal government is withholding aid to people in Republican areas.
“Those who do it, do it to try to damage the administration,” Biden said. “But it misleads people, it puts people in circumstances where they’re panicked, where they really, really, really worry.”
Former President Donald Trump and other Republicans have questioned FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene and made false claims that disaster funding is going to migrants or foreign wars.
In a statement from FEMA on Friday, the agency pushed back against rumors that it will only provide $750 to disaster survivors to support their recovery.
The statement said in part, “There are other forms of assistance that you may qualify for to receive, and Serious Needs Assistance is an initial payment you may receive while FEMA assesses your eligibility for additional funds.”
Jaclyn Rothenberg, director of public affairs at FEMA, told Nexstar that the agency was not concerned about not having enough money to address both Helene and Milton.
“We have enough funding to be able to support both ongoing Hurricane Helene response and recovery efforts as well as Hurricane Milton response efforts,” Rothenberg said.
President Biden said he has already approved pre-landfall declarations for Florida ahead of Milton.
“Most importantly, I have urged everyone, everyone currently located in Hurricane Milton’s path, to listen to officials and follow safety instructions,” Biden said. “It’s a matter of life and death, and that’s not hyperbole.”
The president also announced he is postponing his trip to Angola and Germany this week because of Hurricane Milton.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
