Trump treated as if ‘he is a sitting president’ amid Helene rescue efforts and shatters donation goal

Corporate media spin couldn’t detract from the impact former President Donald Trump was having on disaster relief efforts as a reception like the “sitting president” preceded a massive donor haul.

Everything remained politics and with Election Day five weeks out, the American people were provided a stark contrast between decisive leadership and pass-the-buck messaging.

While Vice President Kamala Harris strayed from the campaign trail only to go to Washington, D.C. and President Joe Biden thought it appropriate to embark on a weekend getaway amid a disaster some speculated would prove worse than Hurricane Katrina, Trump was on the ground facilitating the distribution of supplies and receiving briefings on the devastation.

Monday, as the GOP leader stopped in Valdosta, Georgia, CNN national correspondent Kristen Holmes reported, “He is being treated, not just as a former president but, almost as though he is a sitting president… getting a briefing from FEMA, getting a briefing from the National Guard.”

“That is not something that is typically just offered to a candidate. They are treating him as though he is a former president who is there to help,” Holmes went on, seemingly contradicting herself as she asserted that he “did not have that much to offer” before reporting the fact that he and the campaign had “arrived with trucks full of supplies that they plan on giving out. So there is something there for them to offer.”

“He is clearly taking this seriously as a politician,” added the correspondent.

“Valdosta has been ravaged. The town is very, very badly hurting, and many thousands are without power. They’re running low on food and fuel. We brought a lot of it down with us. It’s going to be distributed now or soon, throughout Georgia as well as North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Alabama, and Tennessee,” the onetime commander-in-chief said during a press conference.

Additionally, Trump noted late Monday that he had spoken with SpaceX founder Elon Musk about getting telecommunications running again in the area through the deployment of Starlink, “I spoke to Elon Musk about his brilliant communication system for North Carolina and Georgia. So many of their lines are down. He is on it!!!”

The former president’s rapid response, coupled with other endeavors like Operation Blue Ridge launched by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, stood to further highlight the void in leadership felt from the White House as Harris’ team promoted her interview with former NBA players while confirmed deaths soared into the triple digits.

Further embodying the contrast between Trump and Harris, the Republican nominee authorized a crowdfunding effort that, at the time of this writing, had raised $2,745,889 in donations exceeding a $1,000,000 goal. The funds came from over 14,000 contributors including $20,000 from Kid Rock, $100,000 from UFC President Dana White, and $500,000 from former Georgia Sen. Kelly Loeffler (R).

“President Donald J. Trump has launched this GoFundMe campaign as an official response for MAGA supporters to offer their financial assistance to their fellow Americans impacted by Hurricane Helene,” the fundraiser detailed. “With so many across the Southeastern U.S. facing challenges after the storm, President Trump is on the ground in communities to see the aftermath firsthand. All donations will be directed to those most affected by Hurricane Helene.”

“Any level of generosity,” it assured, “will go a long way for your fellow Americans who are suffering.”

Boiling down the difference, one user wrote on X, “Trump created a GoFundMe for hurricane victims. Kamala raised funds to bail out ANTIFA. Choose. Your. Fighter.”

Kevin Haggerty

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