In the weeks leading up to the 2024 presidential election, the southeastern United States faced the wrath of two significant hurricanes — Helene and Milton. It was inevitable that the aftermath of these disasters would take on a political dimension.
In the wake of the storms, both President-elect Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris sought to leverage the situation for their own political gain. Harris accused Trump of potentially withholding aid from states that did not support him in the approaching election.
Trump, on the other hand, indicated that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was intentionally delaying assistance because many of the areas hardest hit in western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee leaned heavily Republican, where he had strong backing. Concerns arose that these delays could cripple polling station operations in those regions, complicating access for individuals whose lives had been disrupted.
As is often the case, mainstream media outlets overlooked the fact that Harris’ allegations lacked any substantial evidence and were, based on historical patterns, likely unfounded. During the COVID crisis, when it was exacerbated by decisions made by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, it was Trump who had sent a floating hospital to aid the city.
Instead of addressing this context, media attention fixated on Trump, asserting that it was inconceivable for a supposedly non-partisan agency like FEMA, dedicated to providing assistance, to engage in the behavior he proposed.
However, a report from The Daily Wire has since emerged, revealing that in some of the hurricane-affected regions, aid was indeed being denied to Trump supporters. It was reportedly deemed “best practice” to bypass residences displaying Trump signs.
From that report:
A FEMA supervisor instructed workers to “avoid homes advertising Trump” while they canvassed Lake Placid, Florida, to identify those eligible for federal aid, according to internal messages obtained by The Daily Wire. The supervisor, Marn’i Washington, communicated this direction both verbally and through a group chat used by the relief crew, as per the accounts of multiple government employees.
The employees informed The Daily Wire that at least 20 homes with Trump signs or flags were skipped over from late October into November due to this directive, meaning residents were not given the opportunity to receive FEMA assistance. Images shared with The Daily Wire illustrate that workers bypassed these houses, documenting in their reports comments like: “Trump sign no entry per leadership.” The agency later confirmed that the individual who issued this directive has been terminated.
