“Pete Buttigieg Stands by Biden’s Hurricane Milton Response, Calls Out Trump’s Misleading Relief Claims”.hienca

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed the federal response to Hurricane Milton during an appearance on MSNBC’s Chris Jansing Reports on Thursday. He underscored the government’s commitment to assisting affected communities and condemned the spread of misinformation regarding disaster relief. The hurricane made landfall south of Tampa as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday evening, leaving millions without power and resulting in at least six confirmed deaths in Florida. As of midday Thursday, the storm had moved off Florida’s east coast into the Atlantic.

Responding to accusations from former President Donald Trump about the federal government’s response in North Carolina, Buttigieg asserted, “There is an enormous federal response helping the people of North Carolina and all of the states impacted by Hurricane Milton and Helene.” He emphasized that local officials from both parties have consistently stated they are receiving the assistance they need.

Federal Hurricane Relief Efforts

Buttigieg highlighted the scale of the federal response, noting that thousands of federal employees, including personnel from FEMA and the Department of Transportation, are on the ground. He acknowledged concerns about funding for ongoing disaster needs, stating that while immediate requirements are being met, additional funding will be critical for long-term recovery. He called on Congress to act swiftly to replenish FEMA’s disaster relief fund, stating, “We just can’t get it done without help from Congress.”

He pointed out that a $100 million emergency relief request for North Carolina and $32 million for Tennessee had already been processed, while the DOT’s emergency reserve account is running low, with less than $200 million remaining. “We know that we are going to need more for the road ahead,” he added.

Widespread Damage in Florida

Hurricane Milton caused extensive damage across Florida, leaving over 3.2 million residents without power. Hard-hit areas included Sarasota and Tampa Bay, where wind gusts exceeded 100 mph, ripping off roofs and downing power lines. In St. Petersburg, the roof of Tropicana Field, which served as a shelter for first responders, was significantly damaged.

The storm also spawned multiple tornadoes, resulting in further destruction. Tragically, five people were killed in Fort Pierce due to a tornado that touched down just before Milton made landfall. According to the Associated Press, Milton’s landfall marked the sixth time in history that Florida has experienced three hurricanes making landfall in a single year. Extensive damage was reported in Sarasota County, where storm surge reached 8 to 10 feet. Additionally, more than 100 residents were rescued from an assisted living facility in Tampa as flooding overwhelmed several areas.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg addressed the federal response to Hurricane Milton during an appearance on MSNBC’s Chris Jansing Reports on Thursday. He underscored the government’s commitment to assisting affected communities and condemned the spread of misinformation regarding disaster relief. The hurricane made landfall south of Tampa as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday evening, leaving millions without power and resulting in at least six confirmed deaths in Florida. As of midday Thursday, the storm had moved off Florida’s east coast into the Atlantic.

Responding to accusations from former President Donald Trump about the federal government’s response in North Carolina, Buttigieg asserted, “There is an enormous federal response helping the people of North Carolina and all of the states impacted by Hurricane Milton and Helene.” He emphasized that local officials from both parties have consistently stated they are receiving the assistance they need.

Federal Hurricane Relief Efforts

Buttigieg highlighted the scale of the federal response, noting that thousands of federal employees, including personnel from FEMA and the Department of Transportation, are on the ground. He acknowledged concerns about funding for ongoing disaster needs, stating that while immediate requirements are being met, additional funding will be critical for long-term recovery. He called on Congress to act swiftly to replenish FEMA’s disaster relief fund, stating, “We just can’t get it done without help from Congress.”

He pointed out that a $100 million emergency relief request for North Carolina and $32 million for Tennessee had already been processed, while the DOT’s emergency reserve account is running low, with less than $200 million remaining. “We know that we are going to need more for the road ahead,” he added.

Widespread Damage in Florida

Hurricane Milton caused extensive damage across Florida, leaving over 3.2 million residents without power. Hard-hit areas included Sarasota and Tampa Bay, where wind gusts exceeded 100 mph, ripping off roofs and downing power lines. In St. Petersburg, the roof of Tropicana Field, which served as a shelter for first responders, was significantly damaged.

The storm also spawned multiple tornadoes, resulting in further destruction. Tragically, five people were killed in Fort Pierce due to a tornado that touched down just before Milton made landfall. According to the Associated Press, Milton’s landfall marked the sixth time in history that Florida has experienced three hurricanes making landfall in a single year. Extensive damage was reported in Sarasota County, where storm surge reached 8 to 10 feet. Additionally, more than 100 residents were rescued from an assisted living facility in Tampa as flooding overwhelmed several areas.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg detailed the federal response to Hurricane Milton during an appearance on MSNBC’s Chris Jansing Reports Thursday afternoon. He highlighted the government’s efforts to assist affected communities while condemning the dangerous misinformation surrounding disaster relief. The hurricane made landfall south of Tampa as a Category 3 storm on Wednesday evening, resulting in millions losing power and at least six confirmed deaths in Florida. By midday Thursday, the storm had moved off Florida’s east coast into the Atlantic.

“There is an enormous federal response helping the people of North Carolina and all of the states impacted by Hurricane Milton and Helene,” Buttigieg stated in response to former President Donald Trump’s accusations that the federal government had failed North Carolina. He emphasized that local officials from both parties have consistently expressed satisfaction with the federal assistance they’ve received.

Federal Hurricane Relief Efforts

Buttigieg underscored the scale of the federal response, mentioning that thousands of federal employees, including personnel from FEMA and the Department of Transportation, are actively involved in relief efforts. When asked about funding adequacy for ongoing disaster needs, he noted that while immediate needs are being addressed, additional funding will be essential for long-term recovery. He called on Congress to act quickly to replenish FEMA’s disaster relief fund.

“We know that we are going to need more for the road ahead,” Buttigieg said, highlighting a $100 million emergency relief request already processed for North Carolina and $32 million for Tennessee. He pointed out that the DOT’s emergency reserve account is running low, with less than $200 million remaining, stating, “We just can’t get it done without help from Congress.”

Damage Across Florida

Hurricane Milton caused widespread devastation, leaving over 3.2 million residents without power. Hard-hit areas included Sarasota and Tampa Bay, where wind gusts exceeded 100 mph, damaging roofs and downing power lines. In St. Petersburg, the roof of Tropicana Field—home of the Tampa Bay Rays—was torn apart as first responders sheltered there during the storm.

The storm also spawned numerous tornadoes, exacerbating the destruction. In Fort Pierce, five individuals were killed when a tornado struck ahead of Milton’s landfall. According to the Associated Press, this marked the sixth time in history that Florida has experienced three hurricanes making landfall in a single year. Extensive damage was reported in Sarasota County, where storm surge reached 8 to 10 feet, and over 100 residents were rescued from an assisted living facility in Tampa as flooding overwhelmed several areas.

Misinformation Hampering Relief Efforts

On Thursday, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a Republican, praised the Biden administration’s response and commended FEMA for expediting funding for debris removal.

However, misinformation surrounding the federal response has been rampant, particularly from Trump and several Republicans, including Elon Musk and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Ahead of the storm’s landfall, President Biden called the disaster relief lies “un-American” and accused Trump of misrepresenting federal efforts to support impacted communities. Biden specifically criticized Greene’s claim that the government could control the weather, describing it as “beyond ridiculous” and “like out of a comic book.”

Buttigieg expressed concern about the growing misinformation affecting relief efforts. “This is not an academic exercise. This is a life and death response operation,” he said, condemning the false information circulating online. Following Hurricane Helene, misinformation about FEMA relief payments and eligibility spread across social media, leading to scams that delayed residents’ access to government aid. Buttigieg and FEMA officials had to repeatedly correct these rumors.

“This is not the first time we’ve had to deal with these issues,” Buttigieg noted. “Whether it’s malicious, politically motivated, or just lazy, there is no excuse for circulating false information at a time like this.”