Research/Study Research/Study

Ignoring praise for federal aid from GOP governors and officials on the ground, right-wing media falsely claim that Hurricane Helene is “Kamala’s Katrina”

Sean Hannity: “This is Kamala’s Katrina out there failing the people of the Southeast. … She talks a big game about equity but does not seem to give a damn when people are truly in need.”

Written by Charis Hoard, Pete Tsipis & Payton Armstrong

Published

Right-wing media figures are attacking the federal response to Hurricane Helene, falsely characterizing it as “Kamala’s Katrina” and claiming that “we have Americans dying not because of a natural disaster but because of a man-made disaster of relief efforts.”

  • As Hurricane Helene made landfall, right-wing media were quick to politicize the storm and spread false information

    • At the end of September, Hurricane Helene made landfall in the Southeast, quickly becoming one of the deadliest natural disasters of the century. With at least 200 confirmed deaths a week into rescue and recovery efforts, Southeastern states have sought federal aid and assistance to rebuild the devastation caused by the storm, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. [Axios, 10/3/24]
    • Right-wing media falsely claimed that the Biden administration provided no federal assistance to survivors of Helene while praising former President Donald Trump for visiting those impacted in Georgia. In reality, the Biden administration quickly announced emergency and disaster declarations and mobilized federal assistance to aid local relief efforts in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Virginia, and Georgia. [Media Matters, 10/1/24]
    • Right-wing media dishonestly claimed that Hurricane Helene survivors were only entitled to $750 in federal aid. As explained by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, storm survivors can qualify for “tens of thousands more dollars” in disaster-related financial assistance. [Media Matters, 10/4/24]
    • Right-wing media falsely claimed that FEMA lacks funds to assist Hurricane Helene victims because the agency spent its resources on migrants. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson categorically debunked this accusation, clarifying that the Shelter and Services Program (SSP), which provides assistance to migrants, “is a completely separate, appropriated grant program that was authorized and funded by Congress and is not associated in any way with FEMA's disaster-related authorities or funding streams.” [Media Matters, 10/4/24]

  • GOP governors and officials on the ground have praised the federal response to Hurricane Helene, calling for the misinformation to stop

    • Tennessee-based outlet WKRN interviewed Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee where he praised the federal response to flooding from Helene in the state. Lee stated that the federal government worked quickly to approve disaster relief for the state, calling the turnaround of his aid requests “quick.” [WKRN, 10/3/24]

  • [WKRN, 10/3/24]

    • North Carolina Republican state Sen. Kevin Corbin called out misinformation about Helene relief as “conspiracy theory junk.” Corbin: “PLEASE help stop this junk. It is just a distraction to people trying to do their job. … FEMA is here. The National Guard is here in large numbers. This is going to take MONTHS if not years to overcome. Government will play a role in this cleanup.” [Facebook, 10/3/24]
    • Charlotte-based WBTV reported that South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster said “the federal response to Helene has been superb so far.” [WBTV, 10/1/24]

  • [WBTV, 10/1/24]

    • The Tampa Bay Times reported on Biden’s tour of hurricane damage in Tallahassee and highlighted Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s praise of the federal aid response. Kemp: “He just said, ‘Hey, what do you need?’ I told him, ‘You know, we got what we need. We will work through the federal process.’ He offered that if there’s other things we need, just to call him directly, which, I appreciate that.” [Tampa Bay Times, 10/3/24]
    • Charlotte-based outlet WCNC debunked false claims circulating online that “the government is not helping or that FEMA might even be blocking supplies.” WCNC’s fact check pushed back on both claims, noting that FEMA has delivered more than 1.8 million meals and 2.5 million liters of water according to the North Carolina governor’s office. [WCNC, 10/3/24]

  • [WCNC, 10/3/24]

    • North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper has also repeatedly praised the administration’s actions in response to the emergency. “We’re grateful for the quick actions and close communications that we have had with the president and with the FEMA team,” Cooper said during Biden’s visit to his state. In another instance, the governor said both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris “have committed every resource available to this recovery,” adding, “I appreciate the president’s quick approval of our major disaster declaration.” [CNN.com, 10/3/24]
    • Air Force Maj. Gen. Robert Davis, the director of operations for the U.S. Northern Command, discussed the Biden administration’s approval of deployment of 1,000 soldiers to help relief efforts in North Carolina, highlighting their “great partnership” with FEMA. The Defense Department announced that the troops “are expected to arrive in western North Carolina within 24 hours” in order “to support FEMA in stabilizing critical lifelines and essential services for communities in North Carolina.” [WRAL News, 10/3/24; Spectrum News 1, 10/2/24]

  • Right-wing media falsely called the federal response “abysmal,” labeling it “Kamala’s Katrina”

    • Fox host Jesse Watters claimed that “the Biden administration is blocking ongoing rescue operations.” He claimed: “Sources say over a thousand troops in North Carolina are just sitting around doing nothing, waiting for orders that haven't come. They haven't heard from the North Carolina governor, and the Biden administration is blocking ongoing rescue operations.” [Fox News, Jesse Watters Primetime, 10/3/24]
    • On Fox & Friends, Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump called the federal response “abysmal” and said “we have Americans dying not because of a natural disaster but because of a man-made disaster of relief efforts.” She said: “I'm hearing from people that the local authorities are no longer trying to go house to house to just bring water to people, they are going house to house to bring body bags. … Our federal response has been abysmal. And it is absolutely disgraceful that in the United States of America, we have Americans dying not because of a natural disaster but because of a man-made disaster of relief efforts.” [Fox News, Fox & Friends, 10/4/24]
    • Fox host Sean Hannity declared “this is Kamala’s Katrina” and agreed with Donald Trump’s assertion that “this is the worst hurricane response in the history of our country.” Hannity said: “This is Kamala’s Katrina. She and Biden are failing the people of the Southeast. She prioritized illegal immigrants over you, the American people. She talks a big game about equity but does not seem to give a damn when people are truly in need.” [Fox News, Hannity, 10/3/24]
    • On The Five, host Jeanine Pirro said that “it’s been a week — the National Guard is not on the ground.” She added, “You think you’re in America, they are coming for you. They are going to take care of you. But in the end, Biden didn't.” [Fox News, The Five, 10/3/24]
    • Right-wing host Charlie Kirk wrote “North Carolina citizens are dying because of Kamala Harris and the Dem governor.” [Twitter/X, 10/3/24]
    • Fox Business anchor Elizabeth MacDonald posted that “Hurricane Helene is fast turning into a scandal as bad as Hurricane Katrina,” claiming “the Biden-Harris White House has been quietly turning disaster agency FEMA into an illegal alien svcs agency.” She wrote: “For this Administration to say it has no more disaster $$ for hurricanes, for this White House to default to saying, oh, just $750 each, blaming the FEMA cap on critical needs assistance at $700, is outrageous. It’s a disgrace.” [Twitter/X, 10/3/24]
    • Echoing the racist “great replacement” conspiracy theory, right-wing media figure Jack Posobiec said that “Hurricane Helene is failure by design. Poor white people are the target of intentional neglect. They want these communities broken and their towns given to migrants. This is a war against the very fabric of our nation's identity.” [Twitter/X, 10/3/24; Media Matters, 1/12/24]
    • Trump ally Stephen Miller wrote, “Kamala abandoned North Carolina.” [Twitter/X, 10/3/24]
    • Newsmax host Greg Kelly questioned if the government’s “slow response” could “possibly have something to do with the ethnicity, with the race of … a lot of the folks in western North Carolina?” He added, “I don't know. I mean, could it have something to do with it? They're not people of color. I know we saw people of color — regular people don’t think this way. But they do.” [Newsmax, Greg Kelly Reports,  10/3/24]
    • The New York Post published an article titled “Hurricane Helene victims in NC are fending for themselves as response from Biden-Harris’ FEMA underwhelms.” The article began: “Desperate residents of Hurricane Helene-ravaged western North Carolina are relying on homegrown rescue efforts instead of waiting for the Biden-Harris administration’s financially depleted FEMA to get its act together.” [New York Post, 10/3/24]