Trump Puts an End to Speculation with Major Announcement
President Donald Trump confirmed on Monday that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be dispatched to North Carolina to assist in rebuilding highways and riverbanks that were severely impacted by Hurricane Helene.
During his visit to the state on Friday, Trump criticized the Biden administration’s slow response to the devastation in western North Carolina, expressing uncertainty about “what took so long.” He assured the public that his administration would provide “the resources” and necessary aid to help the affected communities recover.
“We have a lot of things in mind, and we’re getting the Army Corps of Engineers all set,” Trump stated. “You need your riverbanks fixed. You need a lot of roads fixed. And, we’re going to get it done in rapid time, and I’ve asked Susie Wiles and all of my people to start calling up.
“Get the Corps ready, and they’re going to get ready to go. I don’t know what it is. I don’t know what took so long for the other administration,” he added, according to Breitbart News.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, as noted on its official website, works to “diligently strengthen” national security “by building and maintaining America’s infrastructure and providing military facilities where our servicemembers train, work, and live.” The Corps is composed of approximately 37,000 dedicated Civilians and Soldiers who offer engineering support in over 130 countries worldwide.
Under the National Response Framework (NRF) and the Stafford Act, the USACE operates under FEMA’s direction as a part of the federal team assisting state and local governments in disaster response and recovery, as highlighted on its website.
Additional details from the Corps’ website explain:
Each year, the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) deploys hundreds of its trained personnel and resources across the United States and its territories to respond to emergencies and aid in disaster response recovery. Under the National Response Framework (NRF) and authorities of the Stafford Act; USACE works under the direction of FEMA as a member of the federal team to support State and Local governments in responding to major disasters. USACE also has its own authority to directly respond to State and Local needs related to flooding or coastal emergencies under Public Law 84-99.”
While in North Carolina, Trump reminded the public that he was not in office “for the first four months or three months, whatever it may be,” and noted that his administration had “only start[ed]” assisting just a few days prior.
“We’re going to get you the resources you need and the support that you deserve. And, we’ll be at your side through every step of the rebuilding and no American is going to be left behind,” Trump vowed, as cited by Breitbart.
Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction, causing massive flooding, landslides, and widespread damage to infrastructure, homes, and towns across Western North Carolina, including the Village of Chimney Rock, Asheville, and Swannanoa. The storm also triggered severe flooding and landslides in Georgia, Florida, eastern Tennessee, and southern Virginia.
Despite FEMA announcing in an October press release that it had allocated “more than $45 million” in relief efforts for Hurricane Helene, many North Carolina residents voiced frustration over the Biden administration’s handling of the crisis.
Some locals felt the response from Biden’s administration “took too long,” while others claimed they had received little to no federal assistance. Reports further alleged that FEMA personnel under the Biden-Harris administration were directed by at least one supervisor to steer clear of properties displaying signs or materials in support of Trump.