Donald Trump Tells N.C. He 'Didn't Have to' Come See Hurricane Damage: 'I Could've Been on a Beautiful Beach'

Mar. 15, 2025

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

JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty

Donald Trumpsaid 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.

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.

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.”

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.”

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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, perThe Charlotte Observer.

“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.

source: people.com