As Hurricane Helene death toll grows, Biden defends US government response

The death toll from a devastating storm that battered the southeastern United States climbed to 118 on Monday, as the disaster became a hot topic in an already bitter election campaign, with the White House angrily refuting claims it had been slow to respond.

With hundreds still missing across several southeastern US states and the death toll climbing, President Joe Biden announced he would travel to storm-ravaged North Carolina Wednesday to monitor rescue efforts.

Biden also accused former president Donald Trump of spreading lies, after the Republican presidential candidate charged, without evidence, that the federal government was ignoring the disaster brought on by Hurricane Helene and denying help to his supporters.

“He’s lying,” Biden told reporters in the Oval Office, adding that he had spoken to North Carolina governor Ray Cooper “and he told him he’s lying. I don’t know why he does it … that’s simply not true, and it’s irresponsible.”