The Biden-Harris administration’s response to Hurricane Helene was a complete and utter disaster in its own right. When the storm made landfall on Sept. 26, communities across the Southeast, especially in the Appalachian areas of Tennessee and North Carolina, were hit hard. As they faced severe flooding and power outages, the lack of an organized federal response left many without the support they desperately needed.
While the storm raged, President Joe Biden was at his beach house in Delaware, far removed from the crisis. Vice President Kamala Harris was attending glitzy fundraisers in California instead of coordinating relief efforts. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was busy at an awards ceremony in Los Angeles. This left local emergency services in Tennessee and North Carolina struggling to address the disaster largely on their own.
The lack of preparedness was obvious, especially compared to the Trump administration’s approach. Back then, Vice President Mike Pence took disaster response seriously, staying informed and actively helping to coordinate federal support during natural disasters. But Vice President Harris skipped important meetings before the storm hit, and it showed. When Hurricane Helene struck, FEMA struggled to provide even the basics like food, water, and medical help to Americans in need. Sen. JD Vance pointed out that the agency wasn’t ready for the level of destruction that hit. To make things worse, money that should have gone to help struggling Americans was used by FEMA to give housing, cars, and other resources to illegal immigrants. (Editor’s note: FEMA has denied this took place, saying, “No money is being diverted from disaster response needs. FEMA’s disaster response efforts and individual assistance is funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts. Disaster Relief Fund money has not been diverted to other, non-disaster related efforts.”) This choice left many U.S. citizens in the storm’s path waiting for help that never came. The federal response simply wasn’t good enough.
Amid the federal government’s slow response, private companies took the initiative to help where they could. Elon Musk’s SpaceX stepped in to provide emergency internet access through Starlink satellites to communities where communications had been knocked out. This quick action from the private sector made a significant difference, allowing residents and first responders to stay connected and coordinate rescue efforts more effectively, further highlighting the federal government’s sluggishness.
Gov. Ron DeSantis, whose state of Florida also faced major challenges during Hurricane Helene, pushed back against Vice President Harris’s attempts to insert herself into the situation. “For Kamala Harris to try to say that my sole focus on the people of Florida is somehow selfish is delusional,” DeSantis said. “She has no role in this. In fact, she’s been vice-president for three-and-a-half years, I’ve dealt with a number of storms under this administration, and she has never contributed anything to any of these efforts.” He added, “What I think is selfish is her trying to blunder into this.” His remarks underscored a stark contrast: while Pence had consistently been a presence during disasters, Harris’s involvement remained notably absent. Despite the lack of federal leadership, President Biden did eventually acknowledge DeSantis’ efforts, praising the governor for doing a “great job.”
Hurricane Helene should have been an opportunity for leaders to set politics aside and come together to help those in need. Instead, it highlighted a lack of preparedness at the highest levels and missed opportunities to provide timely assistance. The American people deserve better — leaders who will act quickly in times of crisis and ensure relief efforts are coordinated effectively, not delayed by distractions.
We must learn from this experience and demand better from our government. Those affected by this disaster deserve more than excuses and missed opportunities; they deserve real action and a commitment to putting their needs first.
May God bless and keep you and our great nation.
Hardy Billington represents District 152, which includes Butler County.