In North Carolina tour, Trump targets FEMA, rallies Christians, says votes could 'save America'

Former President Donald Trump spent nearly all of Monday in battleground North Carolina as he surveyed Hurricane Helene destruction, spoke with faith leaders and urged people to vote as Election Day looms just two weeks away.

The Republican nominee began in Swannanoa in Western North Carolina to see the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene before holding a rally across the state at East Carolina University’s campus in Greenville. He ended the day by heading back west, addressing faith leaders at an invite-only meeting in Concord. At each stop, he reiterated similar claims and urged people to vote for him to “save America.”

”With your vote this November, we are going to fire Kamala Harris, we are going to save America and we’re going to restore the greatness of our nation,” Trump said in Greenville.

Trump was accompanied by U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, N.C. House Speaker Tim Moore and other officials in Western North Carolina, where he said he wished FEMA was doing more for victims of the storm. He repeated the same conspiracy theory in Swannanoa, Concord and Greenville that FEMA allocated funds to migrant services rather than Helene aid, a claim FEMA has called false.

“Our hearts are with you and we are praying for you, and we will come back, and we will be here on Jan. 20,” he said in Greenville of those affected by the storm. “You didn’t get the proper support from this administration.”

In Greenville, at the Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum, Trump spoke to rally attendees about his plans for a mass deportation of immigrants if elected, as well as his belief that Vice President Harris taking President Joe Biden’s place as the Democratic nominee for president was akin to overthrowing a U.S. president.

The coliseum is the same venue where Harris held a rally a week ago. Trump was joined by Laurie Buckhout, the Republican candidate for Congress in northeastern North Carolina, and Rep. Dan Bishop, the GOP candidate for state attorney general.

His last visit of the day took place at the Concord Convention Center, where he, along with his son Eric Trump and Ben Carson, the former U.S. secretary for Housing and Urban Development, addressed religious leaders. Trump spoke about his commitment to keeping discussions of race, gender and sexuality out of schools while fighting to protect religious freedom in education.

As one of the battleground states likely to determine the outcome of this year’s presidential election, North Carolina has won significant attention from both the Trump and Harris campaigns.

Last week, Trump’s running mate, U.S. Sen. JD Vance, campaigned in Wilmington and Harris’ running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, visited Durham and Winston-Salem alongside former President Bill Clinton.

Clinton continued on a bus tour of Eastern North Carolina, making stops in Wilmington, Fayetteville, Wilson, Greenville and Rocky Mount.

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