US President Joe Biden said that the federal government was rushing to help those affected by Hurricane Milton — and had a stark message for his predecessor, who has been spreading falsehoods about the federal response.
Asked by reporters after his remarks at the White House whether he had spoken with former president Donald Trump, Biden responded indignantly: “Are you kidding me?”
He then looked at the camera with a message directly for his predecessor: “Mr President Trump — former President Trump — get a life, man. Help these people.”
Biden’s appearance on Thursday (Friday AEDT) indicates how deeply the federal government wants to get their messaging in front of the deluge of misinformation that first started spreading in the wake of Hurricane Helene late last month and proliferates after Hurricane Milton this week. I
It’s the third time the president has addressed the country about the storm in roughly 24 hours — each time, making sure to directly denounce the spreading of false rumours while calling out one of the most prominent promoters of storm-related misinformation, Trump, by name.
And asked again as he left the room whether he planned to speak with Trump, Biden responded with: “No.”
Biden told reporters he believed lives were saved because Florida residents listened to evacuation orders issued by local officials. But, he warned, it had only been hours since Hurricane Milton made landfall and it was still too early to fully assess damages across the state.
“It’s too early to know the full account of the damage,” Biden said from the White House on Thursday. “But we know lifesaving measures did make a difference.”
Warning there were “still very dangerous conditions in the state,” Biden urged residents to continue heeding directives from their local officials while vowing the federal government would be on the ground for as long as it is needed.
“Vice President Harris and I have been in constant contact with state and local officials,” the president added. “We’re offering everything they need.”
But Biden’s most forceful message came regarding the swirl of misinformation and social media rumours about the storms that have spread over the last month.
Some of the false information has led to aid workers receiving death threats. Federal officials warned that in some cases the rumours are designed to prevent people who need help from seeking it.
“Those who engage in such lies are undermining confidence in the rescue and recovery work that’s ongoing,” Biden said.
“These lies are also harmful to those who most need help. Lives are on the line, people are in desperate situations — have the decency to tell them the truth.”