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When it comes to hurricanes, Donald Trump’s record is an embarrassment. Indeed, some of the low points of the Republican’s failed presidency were directly related to his bizarre reactions to brutal storms: From “Sharpiegate“ to “big water,” from his odd unfamiliarity with Category 5 hurricanes to lobbing paper towels as if he were having fun shooting free throws, the GOP candidate’s background is tough to defend.
But it wasn’t just a matter of gaffes and photo ops gone awry. As a New York Times report explained, “As president, he viewed federal aid through the prism of his personal politics, threatening to withhold money from governors of blue states whom he saw as enemies, and promising ‘A-plus’ treatment for his allies.”
But that doesn’t mean his record can’t get worse. NBC News reported:
Former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp hasn’t been able to reach President Joe Biden to discuss Hurricane Helene’s impacts on his state. “He has been calling the president, but has not been able to get him,” Trump said at a news conference at a furniture store in Valdosta, Georgia.
Hours earlier, the Republican governor said the opposite, describing the helpful and constructive conversation he had with Biden and letting the public know that he appreciated the president’s offer of support.
It’d be easier to overlook if this were Trump’s only break with reality, but it is not. The former president also falsely argued that the Biden administration and North Carolina’s Democratic governor are “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas,” which is absurd on its face and made worse by the fact that Asheville and the surrounding area is heavily Democratic.
When NBC News asked the Republican to substantiate his aid-related conspiracy theories, he walked away.
Trump also baselessly accused Vice President Kamala Harris of staging a photograph of her talking on the phone with FEMA officials, and his claims immediately fell apart.
Alas, we can keep going. Trump told reporters that “nobody” could have forecast Hurricane Helene, which isn’t true, before he added that it’s “late in the season for the hurricanes,” which also isn’t true.
My personal favorite was Trump, during an appearance in Georgia, telling reporters, “We’re not talking about politics now,” even as he talked about politics. As an Associated Press report summarized, “Donald Trump repeatedly spread falsehoods Monday about the federal response to Hurricane Helene despite claiming not to be politicizing the disaster as he toured hard-hit areas in south Georgia.”
Part of the problem, of course, is that the GOP nominee was lying to the public about an important crisis five weeks before Election Day. Another part of the problem was Trump’s apparent instinct to try to divide people rather than pulling people together in a time of need.
But just as notable is the broader question hanging overhead: What kind of would-be leader lies about a deadly natural disaster?
At a campaign event last week, Republican Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, Trump’s controversial running mate, insisted that the “most important thing” is “having a person of character” in the Oval Office. It was an easy sentiment to agree with. It also set a standard that his running mate can’t meet.