Former president Donald Trump made a trip to storm-ravaged Georgia earlier this week after Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc on the southeastern part of the country. Delivering remarks in Valdosta, Georgia, Trump encouraged those affected by the hurricane’s aftermath to remain strong. “In our hearts … God is strongly with us and the American people are stronger than any challenge that stands in our way. Working together, we will overcome these hardships, we will endure, we will rebuild Valdosta, every other town that has been so badly hit. And we will emerge stronger, more united and more prosperous than ever before,” he stated. On his Truth Social, he stated he was praying for those suffering in Georgia and North Carolina. “To every family that has been displaced here in Georgia, in North Carolina, and throughout the region, our hearts are with you in this hour of need. You are in our prayers today, and throughout all the long weeks that lay ahead,” he wrote.

Trump traveled to the area with Franklin Graham, CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and brought supplies to distribute. He has been critical of the Biden administration’s response to the storms. Many people throughout the path of the storm remain without power and road access, leaving many people low on resources. Many residents are stating they have not seen any representatives from FEMA in their area. Alejandro Mayorkas, Secretary of Homeland Security, stated on Wednesday that there are not enough funds for FEMA to help Helene victims and that it will not have enough money to finish the rest of the storm season. Republicans have pointed at the shifting of $640 million towards helping communities deal with influxes of migrants.

Georgia Governor Brian Kemp has also been critical of the administration’s response. “When the first emergency declarations came down, there were only 11 counties in that. A lot of people were outraged, including me, because there was such devastation in up to 90 counties. So, we called the White House. We spoke to the president’s chief of staff, the FEMA administrator, and said, look, your son in the signal, you’re not paying attention to some of these rural communities,” said Kemp. Kemp and Trump will make a joint appearance on Friday in Evans, GA. The two have often been at odds, with Trump supporting David Perdue as a primary challenger against Kemp in 2022. Georgia remains a key state if Trump hopes to win the 2024 election.