Trump's hurricane response, according to Harris, prioritizes politics over people, showcasing a significant lack of empathy at a fundamental level.
"It's heavy, and it's downright reckless and insensitive, honestly. Lives are on the line as we speak here." Harris expressed during an interview on ABC's "The View." "I mean, we're dealing with actual people, real lives, and they're losing everything, everything they've got."
She went on, "The thought of someone playing political games for their own gain – but this is so much Trump's style."
"He always puts himself first, disregarding others' needs. I'm worried he just doesn't grasp the concept of empathy on a basic level, unable to care about others' misfortunes and then understand the role of a leader is to uplift, not tear down, especially during a crisis," she added.
Post-Hurricane Helene, and with Hurricane Milton heading for Florida, Trump has consistently claimed, without any proof, that the White House is diverting disaster relief aid to unrelated migrant programs. While FEMA manages grants for housing and migrant assistance, those funds are separate and not linked to disaster relief funds.
Trump has also continuously criticized the Biden administration's handling of Helene, including falsely claiming that the president wasn't returning calls and that there's an anti-Republican bias in how President Joe Biden and Harris react to the situation.
Harris shared her experience traveling to both Georgia and North Carolina to assess the hurricane's impact, highlighting the "pain" and "shock" still prevalent. At least 235 individuals have lost their lives due to Helene, and Milton is projected to hit Florida hard within the next few days, intensifying into a major hurricane after rapidly transforming into Category 5. The storm is expected to retain significant Category 4 power before making landfall on Wednesday night.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has expressed concern regarding the spread of misinformation regarding relief efforts to date.
"I'm going to separate the misinformation being spread by any individual from the facts. The fact is that misinformation harms disaster survivors because they lose faith in their government, failing to seek the aid they're entitled to and the assistance we can provide," Mayorkas stated on CNN on Tuesday.
Harris argued, "Given the current state of politics, it's disheartening to see politicians use natural disasters as a platform for political gain, disregarding the seriousness of the situation and the lives at stake." Further emphasizing her point, she stated, "During a crisis like this, politics should take a back seat, and leaders should prioritize the well-being of their constituents, not their political agendas."
