### Trump Criticizes Biden's Response to Hurricane Helene Amid Controversy Over Disaster Relief Policies

Amid the chaos caused by Hurricane Helene, political tensions have flared as former President Donald Trump took aim at the Biden administration’s handling of the storm’s aftermath. Visiting Valdosta, Georgia to survey the damage, Trump leveled sharp criticism at current leadership, despite significant controversy surrounding his own disaster relief policies during his presidency.

Trump’s supporters have been vocal about reducing the budgets of federal agencies that focus on weather warnings and disaster relief. Despite this, Trump accused the Biden administration of neglecting areas impacted by the hurricane, especially in Republican-dominated regions. This attack comes in stark contrast to Trump’s own history with disaster aid – notably, his administration's delay in providing assistance to Puerto Rico following a devastating hurricane, and the reallocation of funds from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to fund immigration enforcement efforts.

Project 2025, backed by Trump’s allies, aims to significantly reshape FEMA, limiting federal aid to states and calling for a downsizing of the National Weather Service, which plays a crucial role in hurricane forecasting. This plan underlines the contradiction in Trump’s recent criticisms of disaster response efforts.

On Monday, Trump accused the Biden administration and North Carolina’s Democratic governor of intentionally sidelining relief efforts in Republican areas, though he provided no evidence for these claims. Adding to the criticism, Trump advisor Stephen Miller drew a parallel to the evacuation difficulties during the Afghanistan withdrawal, suggesting that Biden’s leadership consistently fails in crisis situations.

These criticisms come at a time when communities affected by Hurricane Helene are in dire need of coordinated relief efforts, highlighting the ongoing debate over the role and size of federal disaster response initiatives.