Vice President Kamala Harris found herself facing a wave of criticism on social media after announcing a $157 million aid package for Lebanon, just as North Carolina residents grapple with the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Many users pointed out the perceived insensitivity of Harris’s timing, arguing that the funds would be better utilized for relief efforts in the hurricane-ravaged state.
The controversy erupted on Saturday when Harris took to X, formerly Twitter, to announce the “additional assistance” for Lebanon, citing its “increasingly dire humanitarian situation.” However, the post quickly drew ire from users who felt the focus should be on the domestic crisis unfolding in North Carolina.
“This has to be fake. Even Kamala Harris, the gold standard of stupid, isn’t stupid enough to post this,” actor James Woods wrote on X. “Certainly not while North Carolinians are pulling the bodies of their neighbors from the wreckage. It’s simply inconceivable.”
Republican Congressman Nick Langworthy echoed the sentiment, calling the post “tone deaf” and emphasizing the suffering of Americans in the wake of the hurricane. “Could this be any more tone deaf? We have Americans suffering and in danger right now after the hurricane and this is what Kamala has to announce. America First!” he wrote.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott went further, equating Harris’s actions to the infamous response to Hurricane Katrina, a disaster that became synonymous with governmental incompetence. “Kamala is touting giving money to the people of Lebanon-while stiff-arming the humanitarian crisis in North Carolina,” Abbott stated on X. “This is Kamala’s Katrina.”
The backlash against Harris’s post comes as the Biden administration continues to face criticism for its handling of Hurricane Helene. Former President Trump, a vocal critic of the administration’s response, has labeled it the “most incompetently managed ‘storm,’ at the federal level, ever seen before.”
The controversy surrounding Harris’s Lebanon aid pledge highlights the political tensions surrounding the hurricane disaster, with the opposition party and some citizens questioning the administration’s priorities and competence in a time of crisis. While Harris and the White House have yet to publicly respond to the criticisms, the incident further underscores the scrutiny and criticism that the administration faces in the wake of Hurricane Helene.
