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Politics



Elections

Donald Trump Tells N.C. He 'Didn't Have to' Come See Hurricane Damage: 'I Could've Been on a Beautiful Beach'
During a traffic-jamming stop in the Asheville suburbs, Trump touted that he's been working hard and showed off an honorary "French Fry Certification pin" for his recent McDonald's photo op

By
 Abigail Adams
 






 

Abigail Adams
 
Abigail Adams is a Human Interest Writer and Reporter for PEOPLE. She has been working in journalism for seven years.



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Published on October 22, 2024 11:53AM EDT







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 Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to the media in Swannanoa, North Carolina, on October 21, 2024.
Photo: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty

 Donald Trump said he "didn't have to be" on the campaign trail touring hurricane-battered portions of North Carolina while speaking in one of the state's hardest-hit areas nearly one month after disaster struck.


 The former president created traffic jams and closed highways as he stopped through portions of North Carolina that were devastated by Hurricane Helene just two weeks before the Nov. 5 election, according to Blue Ridge Public Radio.


 President Joe Biden has yet to visit the area on the ground and instead did an aerial tour, noting in comments on Sept. 30 that he believed it would be "disruptive" to interfere with recovery efforts, according to Newsweek.


 During a press conference in Swannanoa, one of the ravaged towns in western North Carolina, Trump, 78, seemingly suggested he "didn’t have to be" there to "work" that day, and that he "could have been on a beautiful beach" instead.


Kamala Harris Slams Donald Trump for ‘Playing Games’ with Hurricane Misinformation: ‘I Fear He Lacks Empathy’


 The Republican presidential nominee also claimed that it has been a while since he had a day off, per a clip shared by NewsNation. "I have no days off," he told reporters, "so I’ll be going into the 60s or 70s in terms of no days off."


 Trump then added, "I don’t want a day off. We have to win. We have to win, we have to save our country. We have to just make America great again. That’s the message."


 His comments about maintaining a busy schedule come on the heels of criticism that he has avoided tough news interviews, which a Trump adviser allegedly told one media outlet was because he is "exhausted," according to Politico.


Trump Looked Up How Many Votes He Got in Wildfire-Torn Area Before Agreeing to Provide Disaster Aid, Officials Claim


 





 
 Former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to the media in Swannanoa, North Carolina, on October 21, 2024.
JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty

 U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards was one of multiple elected officials on hand for Trump’s press conference in Swannanoa, where Edwards bestowed Trump with a "French Fry Certification pin" to honor Trump’s recent staged appearance at a McDonald's in Pennsylvania.


 "We've seen other folks do a flyover," said Edwards, who owns multiple McDonalds franchises, according to BPR. "It is so heartening to see you here, with some dust on your shoes, actually seeing what's taking place."


 Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.


 Also at Monday’s press conference, Trump continued to perpetuate false claims about FEMA and the recovery efforts following Helene, including that FEMA’s response was hindered because its budget had gone to people entering the country illegally. 


 "You didn’t get the proper support from this administration — they spent their money on illegal migrants," Trump said, per The Charlotte Observer.


FEMA Calls Out Conspiracies and Rumors About Hurricane Helene Response: 'Frankly Ridiculous'


 This claim was specifically debunked by many lawmakers nationwide, including Edwards himself. In an Oct. 8 news release titled "Debunking Helene Response Myths," the Republican congressman said, "FEMA has NOT diverted disaster response funding to the border or foreign aid."


 "Disaster response efforts and individual assistance are funded through the Disaster Relief Fund, which is a dedicated fund for disaster efforts," Edwards explained in the release.


 To learn more about how to help with relief, recovery and rebuilding efforts from Hurricane Helene, click here.



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