JUNEAU — Former President Trump slammed the federal government’s response to Hurricane Helene, claiming “the White House is doing nothing,” as he repeatedly called Dem rival Kamala Harris incompetent.
Making his fourth stop to Wisconsin in eight days, Trump on Sunday attacked Harris as a “dummy” who can’t answer a question and is lost without a teleprompter while slamming her on immigration and other issues.
He also mocked her promise to lower costs for Americans if elected.
“Why the hell didn’t she do it four years ago, all right?” Trump asked the crowd at an airport here.
Trump called the Biden administration’s response to the hurricane the worst ever seen, “probably worse than Katrina, and that’s hard to beat.” He made the misleading claim that those affected by the hurricane only get $750 from the federal government. That is the initial payment those affected can receive for immediate needs such as groceries, with additional aid available.
Trump also took credit for Elon Musk providing Starlink internet service to affected areas.
Trump said the Biden administration has “abandoned us,” adding some have suggested the White House isn’t doing more for affected areas because they’re largely Republican.
“I don’t even think they are that bad, but they probably are,” Trump said.
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Dem, and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican, have praised the federal government for its response to the storm.
In response to Trump’s remarks, the Harris campaign highlighted a plea from U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, R-North Carolina, that “The last thing that the victims of Helene need right now is political posturing, finger-pointing, or conspiracy theories that only hurt the response effort.”
Trump riffed on a series of issues, from immigration to encouraging his supporters to vote this fall, warning they “won’t have a country left” if Harris wins. As he did during a stop in Waunakee on Tuesday, Trump vowed to cut energy prices by 50% over the first year of a new term.
He said Wisconsin has some of the highest energy costs in the country, blaming it on Dem Gov. Tony Evers, who he didn’t identify by name.
“You do have a lousy governor,” Trump said. “I do hear one thing about him. He doesn’t work hard. He doesn’t even show up.”
According to MarketWatch, Wisconsin’s residential users paid 16.46 cents per kilowatt-hour, higher than the national average of 15.45 cents. That put Wisconsin 36th highest in the country.
Ahead of Trump’s remarks, former Brown County GOP Chair Mark Becker told reporters on a call organized by the Dem Party that the former president doesn’t reflect Wisconsin values. He said he’s supporting Harris because “I believe in integrity and treating people with dignity and doing what is right, not what is convenient.”
“He failed to deliver a stronger economy, failed to uphold his oath to protect our democracy and failed to bring Americans together,” Becker said. “Instead, he spent his time in office dividing us and creating chaos.”
Trump’s early afternoon rally pushed past the start of the Green Bay Packers kickoff as he invited various people to join him on stage and make a few remarks. That includes GOP U.S. Senate candidate Eric Hovde, who praised Trump for getting “results” while he was in office, and U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Oshkosh, who said the former president’s alliance with Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a sign of how the country can put aside its differences and tackle serious problems.
Dodge County Sheriff Dale Schmidt addressed the crowd while announcing the endorsement of the former president by various Wisconsin sheriffs.
He told the crowd there will be zero drop boxes used by Dodge County clerks in the election. Emails WisPolitics obtained show three clerks changed plans to use drop boxes after Schmidt pressured them.
“Our clerks are fantastic,” Schmidt said. “We’re going to make sure we have the best, most secure election in Dodge County history.”
