‘Disgusting’: Trump Threatens to Cut Off Disaster Aid to Hurricane-Ravaged State Unless They Vote His Way — Then Tries to Laugh Stunned Silence Off
President Donald Trump made more astounding comments at a rally in North Carolina for a trailing U.S. Senate candidate he’s endorsing.
The President of the United States threatened to cut-off hurricane disaster aid for the state if voters don’t elect Republican Michael Whatley in the upcoming mid-terms.
A desperate Trump made the comment during a speech in Gastonia, near Charlotte, on Wednesday, Sept. 16.
Whatley is trailing significantly in the latest poll more than 10 percentage points behind rival Democratic candidate and former Gov. Roy Cooper.
In one of the latest polls, the ECU Center for Survey Research found Whatley trailing Cooper 46 percent to 39 percent.
Trump referring in his speech to Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of western North Carolina in September of 2024.
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“Michael was also an incredible champion for your state when you were hit with that terrible storm,” Trump said.
Helene killed more than 100 people and damaged an estimated 125,000 homes in the state, The Independent reported.
“A lot of people call it…from the standpoint of water, the worst hurricane they’ve ever seen,” he continued before cracking a stunning joke.
“The Democrats didn’t do a damn thing. The Republican Congress people came and we got to be friends really fixing this place up and we spent more than $2 billion, FEMA funding and you’re waiting for some additional money to take care of some of the back and I’m going to get that to you, Michael,” Trump boasted.
But then he made a shocking statement.
“Now if Michael loses, I’m not sending it, OK?”
When the stunned crowd just stared at him, he quickly backtracked.
“No. I’m only kidding,” he unconvincingly insisted.
But Trump isn’t joking about this.
He’s threatened to withhold disaster funding from states run by his political opponents before. Americans have never seen a U.S. president act this way in modern history.
Back in June CNN reported Trump threatened to prevent the distribution of tens of millions of dollars in Department of Homeland Security funds to states that refused to make sweeping election changes.
The Independent reported a month later that Trump denied $227 million already approved by FEMA to Blue States.
According to Politico, Trump refused to send disaster aid for a devastating snowstorm in February to New Jersey, Massachusetts, New York and Rhode Island. All are states led by Democrats with Democratic U.S. senators.
Social media exploded in disbelief and anger over what critics call Trump’s political games.
“He talks about FEMA disaster relief money like he’s handing out his own money. That’s f–king disgusting,” a furious X user stated.
Another chimed in, “What about the people who are affected? It’s not his money.”
Others pointed out Trump is not joking about withholding funds.
“But he’s not kidding. He held back millions in aid from California because they didn’t vote for him. He’s a petulant little man child,” another commenter pointed out.
X user Colleen agreed, “Only a sociopath like him would think that’s funny.”
In his Gastonia speech, Trump repeated a pledge he made last week at the unusual Republican midterm convention in Dallas.
An increasingly pessimistic Trump told the crowd if Republicans retain control of Congress, he’ll send every American adult $5,000.
He’s promised Americans money before and hasn’t delivered.
Political experts are predicting Republicans are facing a bloodbath in November over Trump’s disastrous policies that have led to an ongoing war in Iran, skyrocketing energy prices and a more than $40 trillion national debt.