Trump says he's spoken to Musk about getting Starlink for areas damaged by Helene
Former President Trump on Monday said he’s spoken with Elon Musk about providing Starlink internet service for those without power in states ravaged by Hurricane Helene.
Trump visited Valdosta, Ga., where he toured storm damage and expressed support for those dealing with the aftermath. The former president indicated he would also visit North Carolina, which was battered by the hurricane in recent days as well.
“To every family that’s been displaced here in Georgia and in North Carolina, which has really been hit. We’re going there also. They don’t have communication, they don’t have anything right now,” Trump said.
“I just spoke to Elon … we want to get Starlink hooked up because they have no communication whatsoever. Elon will always come through. We know that,” Trump added. “We’re working on that getting them hooked up. We’re going to try and get the Starlink in there as soon as possible.”
Musk is the founder of SpaceX, which operates Starlink satellites. Musk has endorsed Trump in the 2024 campaign.
Trump vowed to be with those affected “as long as you need.”
“The end result is it’s going to be good,” Trump said.
A Federal Emergency Management (FEMA) fact sheet published Monday stated that 40 Starlink satellite systems were available to help first responders with communications, and 140 more satellites were being shipped to assist with communications to restore infrastructure.
Helene made landfall Thursday in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane, bringing with it devastating winds and rainfall. Roughly 100 people have been killed across several states, The Associated Press reported, and millions have been left without power.
Vice President Harris, the Democratic nominee in November’s election, cut short her West Coast campaign swing to return to Washington on Monday for a briefing on the storm at the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s headquarters. Harris is expected to tour storm damage in the coming days once it’s no longer a strain on local resources.
President Biden has spoken with state and local officials in North Carolina, Georgia and Florida, and the federal government has deployed thousands of workers to help provide resources and coordinate the response to the storm.
The White House has also issued emergency declarations for states affected by the storm to help expedite resources. Biden on Monday said Congress may need to return to approve supplemental funding for storm recovery efforts.
During Trump’s visit to Georgia, he criticized Biden’s response to the storm.
"The governor’s doing a very good job,” Trump said of Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R). “He's having a hard time getting the president on the phone. Federal government is not being responsive.”
But Kemp said Sunday he had spoken to Biden about the aftermath of the hurricane.
"He offered that if there's other things we need, just to call him directly, which, I appreciate that,” Kemp said of Biden.
Updated at 3:26 p.m.
Date: | |
Tag: | Donald Trump |
Topics
-
World - The Guardian
Biden to visit damaged areas from ‘historic’ Helene ‘later this week’ as Trump tries to turn storm into campaign issue – live
President says storm was historic and he’d ‘never seen anything like it before’; Trump criticizes Harris and Biden for not rushing to affected areas. Donald Trump has been taunting Joe Biden and ...3 hours ago - Joe Biden -
Politics - NBC News
Trump speaks about recovery efforts in Georgia after touring damage from Helene
Former President Trump delivered remarks after touring the damage from Helene and receiving a briefing in Georgia. Trump said he was "not talking about politics" and that he had come with trucks of ...2 hours ago - Donald Trump -
Top stories - The New York Times
Biden Says He Could Ask Congress to Pass Aid for ‘Catastrophic’ Helene Damage
The president, who plans to travel to North Carolina this week, said he might need to call Congress in for a special session after it did not include additional disaster relief in its spending bill.2 hours ago - Joe Biden -
Politics - The Hill
Fed will help banks get cash in hurricane affected areas, Powell says
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Monday the Fed can help regional and local banks in hurricane-affected areas of the country make sure they have enough cash on hand for their customers ...1 hour ago - Federal Reserve -
Top stories - NBC News
Trump falsely says Georgia's governor was unable to talk to Biden about storm damage
Former President Donald Trump falsely claimed that Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp has not been able to reach President Joe Biden to discuss Hurricane Helene's impacts on his state.37 minutes ago - Joe Biden -
Top stories - CBS News
How Trump, Harris are responding to Helene damage
Former President Donald Trump is visiting Valdosta, Georgia, and Vice President Kamala Harris is headed back to Washington D.C. early from Nevada as both presidential candidates monitor the ...3 hours ago - Donald Trump -
Top stories - CBS News
Trump visits Georgia to tour Helene damage
Former President Donald Trump visited Valdosta, Georgia, to assess the damage Helene left behind after making landfall in Florida as a Category 4 hurricane before it entered Georgia and caused ...1 hour ago - Donald Trump -
Politics - The Hill
Hogan says he doesn’t 'agree with' getting rid of filibuster
Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (R), also a Republican Senate candidate, said in a Sunday interview that he doesn’t “agree with” getting rid of the filibuster. “I don't agree with both my opponent ...Yesterday
More from The Hill
-
Politics - The Hill
Evening Report — Hurricane Helene collides with campaign politics
{beacon} Evening Report © Gerald Herbert, Associated Press Hurricane Helene collides with campaign politics More than 100 people are dead and 600 missing in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, ...19 minutes ago -
Politics - The Hill
Trump seeks to put Harris on back foot with Hurricane Helene response
Former President Trump is seeking to put Vice President Harris on the back foot as both candidates respond to the devastation unleashed by Hurricane Helene. Trump visited Georgia on Monday, where ...21 minutes ago - Donald Trump -
Politics - The Hill
Rick Scott calls for Senate to reconvene to consider Helene disaster aid
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) on Monday called for the Senate to “immediately reconvene” once damage assessments are completed so lawmakers can consider an emergency aid package in response to the ...1 hour ago -
Politics - The Hill
Longshoremen strike deadline looms large over economy and election
Tens of thousands of longshoremen at 14 ports along the East Coast and Gulf of Mexico are poised to walk off the job early Tuesday morning if their union and employers cannot reach a new labor ...1 hour ago -
Politics - The Hill
Comer subpoenas Mayorkas for information on Walz, China
House Oversight and Accountability Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.) subpoenaed Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Monday for information relating to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the ...1 hour ago - China