Trump attacks Biden and Harris in Georgia over Helene’s reaction, Biden says he’s ‘lying’

Former President Donald Trump spoke Monday at a furniture store in Hurricane Helene-ravaged Valdosta, Georgia, where he said the day wasn’t about politics — just seizing the moment to continue to support President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris condemning what he claimed was a bad reaction.

“As you know, our country is in the final weeks of a closely contested national election. But at a time like this, when a crisis is breaking out and our fellow citizens are crying out in distress, none of that matters. That’s not the case for us.” We all need to come together now and solve the problem. They need a lot of help down here,” Trump said of the hurricane-hit community.

But at the same time, Trump suggested that Biden and Harris had not done enough in the wake of the hurricane that hit several states, including Georgia and North Carolina – two battlegrounds in the upcoming election.

“They are reacting very cautiously,” he said, claiming they neglected to speak to Republican Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp when Kemp said this.

MORE: Hundreds of miles from landfall, Hurricane Helene’s ‘apocalyptic’ devastation unfolds

“Let me be clear — he’s lying,” Biden shot back at a late-afternoon storming briefing in the Oval Office when reporters asked about Trump’s claim about the response. “I don’t know why he’s doing this and why I’m so angry about it – I don’t care what he says about me, I care what he says to people in need. That’s what he’s suggesting.” We’re not doing everything we can.

“So it’s just not true. It’s irresponsible,” Biden said.

The Trump campaign said it worked with humanitarian aid group Samaritan’s Purse to bring supplies to Georgia. A campaign official claimed he brought a gas tanker and two trucks full of supplies to Valdosta.

During his speech, the former president said, “We have many truckloads of different goods, from oil to water to all sorts of equipment that will help them.”

However, the campaign later said in a carefully crafted statement that it had entered into a “partnership” with Samaritan’s Purse, suggesting that Trump did not bring the supplies himself but was simply working with the nonprofit that was already there.

“President Trump has partnered with Samaritans Purse to provide truckloads of critical, much-needed resources, including fuel and construction materials, to the people of Georgia,” said Karoline Leavitt, a spokeswoman for the Trump campaign.

The campaign did not respond to several questions seeking to clarify what was meant by “partnership.”

Biden said earlier Monday that he had directed his team to “make every available resource available as quickly as possible” to affected communities to help them rescue, recover and begin rebuilding.

Then on Monday afternoon, Harris spoke at the Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington, where she had gone for a briefing after canceling campaign events and flying back from Las Vegas.

“I have received regular updates on the impacts of Hurricane Helene, including from Administrator Criswell,” she told FEMA staff. “And in the last 24 hours I have spoken with Governor Kemp of Georgia, Governor Cooper of North Carolina and many local officials.”

She said she would visit us if the reaction didn’t bother her.

“I let them know that we will do everything we can to help communities respond and recover, and I let them know that I plan to be on the scene as quickly as possible. But as quickly as possible without disrupting emergency operations, because that has to be the highest priority and top priority,” she said.

Homeland Security Advisor Liz Sherwood Randall said Monday that 3,500 federal responders are currently deployed and supporting response efforts across the region. Additional staff are expected to arrive in the coming days.

“Search and rescue efforts by state, local and federal partners are ongoing and nearly 600 additional personnel will arrive in the region in the coming days, bringing the total number of city search and rescue personnel to over 1,250,” she told reporters.

FEMA and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are also preparing generators for use in states that request them.

While communications continue to be a major challenge for the affected area, Sherwood-Randall said, “FEMA will install 30 Starlink receivers across western North Carolina to provide instant connectivity to those most in need.”

As Biden returned home from the beach on Sunday, he insisted his administration was doing everything it could to help affected communities.

Asked by ABC News if the federal government could provide more resources, Biden replied: “No, we have provided them.”

“We have planned a significant amount in advance, even though they haven’t asked for it yet – hadn’t asked for it yet,” Biden said Sunday.

“We are providing food, water and generators and working to restore state and local leaders. We will provide them with all the help they need in the coming days and weeks,” Harris said at a rally in Las Vegas on Sunday.

MORE: Hurricane Helene live updates: 35 dead, hundreds missing in Asheville area

On Monday, Biden said Hurricane Helene was “not just a catastrophic storm, it’s historic, history creating a storm” and vowed to visit the affected area as soon as he can do so without being “disruptive,” hopefully yet this week.

“I also want you to know that I am committed to traveling to the affected areas as quickly as possible. However, I was told that it would be disruptive if I did it now. “We will not do this at the risk of diverting or delaying any response resources needed to address this crisis,” Biden said on Monday. “My first task is to get the help needed to the affected areas.”

Asked whether Trump’s visit to Georgia on Monday caused disruption, Biden replied: “I have no idea.”

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Monday that Biden was “taking caution to avoid using critical resources that are needed right now on the streets, on the ground, on the ground that people need.” and added that “should be everyone’s top consideration right now.”

Asked whether Trump would be asked to postpone his visit, Jean-Pierre did not comment directly, reiterating Biden’s desire not to cut resources but adding: “He believes everyone should comply.”

Hurricane Helene’s storm surge, wind damage and inland flooding caused diversions and casualties in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Tennessee, flooding neighborhoods, stranding residents, destroying homes and toppling trees. The storm left at least 107 people dead and dozens missing.

ABC News’ Molly Nagle, Cheyenne Haslett, Fritz Farrow, Gabriella Abdul-Hakim, Will McDuffie and Sarah Beth Hensley contributed to this report.

Trump attacks Biden and Harris in Georgia over Helene’s response. Biden says he is “lying.” Originally appeared on abcnews.go.com