During a recent interview on CNN, Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump engaged in a heated exchange with host Dana Bash over the issue of hurricane relief funds and spending on illegal immigration.
The discussion centered around accusations that the Biden administration has been mismanaging federal resources, particularly through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
Bash challenged Lara on statements made by the Trump-Vance Campaign, which claimed that FEMA has been redirecting disaster relief funds toward settling foreign migrants, leaving Americans with insufficient support in times of crisis.
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Bash cited a statement from Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, who said FEMA is running out of funds for hurricane relief.
Bash directly questioned Laraon the matter, saying, “He [Trump] said that FEMA is only offering $750 to Americans who have had their homes destroyed. That’s not true. He’s also echoing conspiracy theorists online who falsely claim that the administration is redirecting disaster money for undocumented immigrants. That’s also not true. Why is he spreading misinformation in a crisis like that?”
In response, Lara Trump, a North Carolina native, expressed concern for her home state, which has been severely impacted by recent hurricanes. “I am incredibly concerned in North Carolina. I hear every day from people on the ground there, and they are desperate for help. It is a dire situation there. I actually think we don’t even know the extent yet of truly how bad it is there,” she said.
Lara then turned the conversation toward the issue of immigration and the federal government’s spending priorities.
She cited figures indicating that FEMA has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on addressing the migrant crisis, which she attributed to Kamala Harris’ border policies. “Kamala Harris did come out and say it’s $750 per family right now.
The idea that we’ve spent $650 million in fiscal year 24 on the migrant crisis, that Kamala Harris was responsible for stopping and by all accounts she created by having an open door policy at our southern border,” Lara stated.
Bash attempted to shift the conversation back to the question of misinformation, disputing claims that disaster relief funds were being diverted. “But my question is about the misinformation, particularly the notion that they are moving money to migrants, to—you say—undocumented migrants, which FEMA says flatly is not true,” Bash said. She argued that spreading false information could prevent people from seeking the assistance they need.
Lara, however, pushed back, refusing to let the issue go unanswered. “Let me just say for one second, you have migrants being housed in luxury hotels in New York City. We have paid so much money from our tax dollars into the crisis that didn’t need to happen. We could redirect money to help people immediately on the ground in North Carolina or in Florida,” she said, emphasizing that the funds spent on settling foreign migrants could be better used for hurricane relief efforts.
The exchange culminated in Bash acknowledging the substantial taxpayer funds that have been allocated for settling migrants, while also conceding that citizens have been told that FEMA’s resources are running thin for disaster relief.
Bash ultimately agreed that billions have been spent on addressing the migrant situation, an issue that continues to draw criticism from Republicans as they argue that more should be done to assist American citizens facing natural disasters.
As the debate over FEMA’s spending continues, the issue of resource allocation between disaster relief and immigration will likely remain a key topic of discussion in the lead-up to the 2024 election.
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