Harris cuts West Coast swing short for Hurricane Helene briefings

Vice President Kamala Harris will end her West Coast campaign swing early and travel from Las Vegas to Washington, DC, on Monday morning to be briefed on the ongoing impacts of Hurricane Helene at the FEMA Headquarters, according to a White House official.

The vice president is expected to be briefed on the federal actions taken to support emergency response and recovery. It comes as the Southeast grapples with widespread devastation after Helene made landfall last Thursday as the strongest hurricane on record to slam into Florida’s Big Bend region. At least 95 people have been killed, with power knocked out for millions.

Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, was previously scheduled to make two campaign stops in Nevada on Monday before diverting her plans. Former President Donald Trump has slammed Harris for fundraising on the West Coast this weekend after Helene ripped through the Southeast region.

“We stand with these communities for as long as it takes to make sure that they are able to recover and rebuild,” Harris said during a rally in Las Vegas.

On Sunday, Harris was briefed by FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell while traveling on Air Force Two from California to Nevada. She also spoke with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp and reassured them that the Biden administration will stand with the impacted communities throughout their recovery.

Harris intends to visit impacted communities as soon as possible without disrupting emergency response operations.

“We will provide whatever help they need in the days and weeks ahead,” she said in Las Vegas.

Trump is expected to visit Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday, where he will receive a briefing on the devastation and “facilitate the distribution of relief supplies.”