The Latest: Harris, Trump shift plans after Hurricane Helene’s destruction

Hurricane Helene is shifting the presidential candidates’ plans this week.

Democratic nominee Kamala Harris is cutting short a campaign visit to Las Vegas to return to Washington for briefings. Republican candidate Donald Trump is heading to Georgia to see the storm’s impact.

Hurricane Helene’s death toll is more than 100 people and rising, with some of the worst damage caused by inland flooding in North Carolina.

In addition to being humanitarian crises, natural disasters can create political tests for elected officials, particularly in the closing weeks of a presidential campaign.

Presidents typically avoid racing toward disaster zones so they don’t interfere with recovery efforts. The White House said Harris would visit impacted areas “as soon as it is possible without disrupting emergency response operations.”

President Joe Biden spoke about his administration’s response to Hurricane Helene and plans to visit areas affected by the storm later this week.

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Here’s the latest:

Trump slams US response to Helene. His own disaster-response record is marked by politics

Former President Trump criticized the Biden administration’s response to the widespread devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, even as his supporters have called for cuts to federal agencies that warn of weather disasters and deliver relief to hard-hit communities.

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