Recently launched Harris campaign advertisement critiques Trump's management of disaster aid provision.
Title changed to: "Hold Back" - The Ad Unveiled Initially by CNN
This advertisement, named "Hold Back," has been obtained firsthand by CNN, serving as a retort to Trump's accusations against the federal response to Hurricane Helene. Trump has made allegations such as Harris' misuse of FEMA funds for housing "unauthorized migrants" and the supposed desertion of certain North Carolina communities by the Biden administration and Democratic leaders due to party bias. As Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm, prepares to strike Florida on Wednesday, this fresh ad has emerged.
Olivia Troye, previously an aide to Mike Pence's former vice president, and Kevin Carroll, a former Trump Homeland Security official, recount incidents from Trump's tenure in the ad, where Trump allegedly proposed denying disaster relief to states that didn't vote for him.
Communicating in the ad, Carroll shares, "He would hint at not offering aid to states that didn't support him."
Troye adds, "I recall an incident following a wildfire in California when he refused to grant relief due to it being a Democratic state. As staff, we enumerated the votes he garnered within the affected areas, hoping to convince him, 'These were your supporters.' Such behavior isn't standard."
Carroll and Troye declare in the ad that they will be supporting Harris. Troye previously expressed her support for Harris and even delivered a speech during the Democratic National Convention, harshly criticizing Trump.
In response to CNN's request for comment, the Trump campaign remained mum.
The ad's release follows Politico's E&E News' review of Trump's history, alleging "Trump exhibited partisan behavior at times in response to disasters and in at least three instances, procrastinated or denied disaster aid to areas he considered antagonistic, or went the extra mile for pro-Trump states."
Referencing interviews with Troye and Mark Harvey, Trump's senior director for resilience policy on the National Security Council, Trump's campaign spokesman Steven Cheung refuted the allegations, labeling them mere "fabrications straight from someone's warped imagination."
The Biden administration has been under fire following Hurricane Helene's wreckage in North Carolina and Georgia. Trump and his camp have intensified their attacks on Harris, accusing her of being more interested in her presidential bid than aiding those affected by the hurricane's calamity.
Both Trump and Harris visited North Carolina and Georgia recently, conversing with local officials.
In response to Trump's reproach, Harris addressed reporters on Monday at Joint Base Andrews, asserting, "There's a plethora of disinformation and misinformation being disseminated by the former president regarding the accessibility of assistance, particularly to Hurricane Helene's survivors. It's horribly irresponsible, it's about him, not you."
Harris also addressed allegations of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, disregarding her attempts to contact him. (However, DeSantis mentioned that he was unaware of Harris' attempts to reach out.)
"Individuals are in dire need of help right now, and the indulgence in political games during these trying times – these are indeed emergency situations – is appallingly irresponsible and self-centered, prioritizing political play rather than fulfilling your duty to prioritize people," Harris condemned on Monday.
The advertisement is a part of the Harris-Walz campaign's $370 million investment in digital and television ad reservations between Labor Day and Election Day, as reported by the Harris campaign to CNN. The advertisement will start airing Thursday evening across digital and social media platforms within battleground states.
This advertisement, titled "Hold Back," critiques the political actions of former President Trump, specifically alleging his potential misuse of disaster relief funds based on political affiliations.
The release of this advertisement comes amidst intensified political debates, with both the Biden administration and Trump campaign facing accusations over their response to Hurricane Helene's aftermath.
