White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre engaged in a heated exchange with Fox News reporter Peter Doocy over the Biden-Harris administration’s decision to send aid to Lebanon while many residents in North Carolina are still recovering from the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene.
The exchange occurred as Vice President Kamala Harris announced $157 million in “additional assistance” to Lebanon, citing the country’s worsening humanitarian crisis due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.
Doocy questioned why the Biden-Harris administration was able to send foreign aid to Lebanon without congressional approval but required congressional input to release disaster relief funds for North Carolina.
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“On this issue of funding, the administration has money to send to Lebanon without Congress coming back.
But Congress does have to come back to approve money to send to people in North Carolina. Do I have that right?” Doocy asked Jean-Pierre during the press briefing.
Jean-Pierre defended the administration’s approach, stating, “The president and the vice president have had a robust whole-of-government response to this… More than $200 million…for the disaster help,” adding that misinformation was circulating about the issue.
When Doocy asked whether President Biden’s letter to Congress requesting assistance for North Carolina was “misinformation,” Jean-Pierre fired back, saying, “No. The way you’re asking me the question is misinformation. There is money that we are allocating to the impacted areas, and there’s money there to help people who truly need it.”
Doocy pressed further, challenging her by saying, “You can’t call a question you don’t like misinformation,” to which Jean-Pierre responded, “No, what you’re asking me is why Congress needs to come back and do their job… Congress needs to come back and provide extra assistance, extra funding for the disaster relief fund.”
She reiterated that the administration’s position is clear, explaining that both Joe Biden and Harris are calling on Congress to approve additional disaster funding. Jean-Pierre then abruptly ended the briefing and left the room.
Karine Jean-Pierre STORMS out of the White House press briefing room after accusing Fox News’ Peter Doocy of spreading disinformation for simply asking why the Biden-Harris administration has enough money for Lebanon but not for North Carolina.
Absolutely wild gaslighting here. pic.twitter.com/Pn7XL1O5qs
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) October 7, 2024
The controversy over the administration’s handling of disaster relief funding has intensified after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated earlier in the week that “FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season,” raising concerns about the federal response to ongoing disasters like Hurricane Helene.
Critics quickly took to social media to voice their disapproval of the Biden-Harris administration’s decision to prioritize aid to Lebanon over immediate assistance for North Carolina residents.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott criticized Vice President Harris, stating on X (formerly Twitter), “Kamala is touting giving money to the people of Lebanon while stiff-arming the humanitarian crisis in North Carolina. This is Kamala’s Katrina.”
Kamala is touting giving money to the people of Lebanon-while stiff-arming the humanitarian crisis in North Carolina.
This is Kamala’s Katrina. https://t.co/o0ghDTjCiH
— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) October 6, 2024
Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., also weighed in, posting, “Could this be any more tone-deaf? We have Americans suffering and in danger right now after the hurricane, and this is what Kamala has to announce. America First!”
Could this be any more tone deaf? We have Americans suffering and in danger right now after the hurricane and this is what Kamala has to announce. America First! https://t.co/RXrHxvUTqd
— Nick Langworthy (@NickLangworthy) October 6, 2024
Former President Donald Trump joined the criticism, calling the Biden-Harris administration’s response to Hurricane Helene “the most incompetently managed ‘storm,’ at the federal level, ever seen before.”
The Biden-Harris administration continues to face backlash for its handling of Hurricane Helene’s aftermath, with critics pointing to the apparent discrepancy in the allocation of resources between domestic disaster relief and foreign aid.
The ongoing debate underscores the challenges the administration faces as it seeks to balance international obligations while addressing crises at home.
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