Damascus, except. – Vice -President JD Vance traveled to Monday Damascus, VirginiaA city on the southwestern edge of the state that was hit hard in September by Hurricane Helene.
The visit was the second time from Vance to Damascus and his first official trip as a vice president, who came only a few days after the president Donald Trump Traveled on January 24 to West -Noord -carolina to tour areas that are still struggling to recover after hurricane.
“The functioning of the local government, the state government works as hard as possible, the local communities and the non -profit organizations and the churches work at a breakneck speed, and yet you have the federal government -the largest institution with the most money – That is not his work.
Vance met Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Senator Todd Pillion, mayor of Damascus Katie Lamb, as well as local law enforcers and firefighters for a private round table discussion on arrival in the Damascus fire brigade, described described just before 1 p.m. Youngkin and Lamb. -Up photos with streets in the center of Damascus that were flooded after Helene had flooded through the area on 27 September, flooding a creek that runs through the city.
Vice President JD Vance, Center, meets Virginia Gov. Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Right, in Damascus, Virginia, on Monday 27 January 2025. This is the first official journey of Vice -President Vance with the Trump administration to Damascus, which was destroyed by Hurricane Helene in September. (Audrey Conklin/Fox News Digital)
While he spoke with the press, the vice -president remarked stories about the locals who came together to help people in need after the disaster, and said he is grateful to live in a country proud of charity work.
A truck shows a sign that says: “Damascus Strong” as Vice President JD Vance visits Damascus, Virginia, on Monday January 27, 2025. This is the first official journey of Vice -President Vance with the Trump government to Damascus, which became Destroyed by Hurricane Helene in September. (Audrey Conklin/Fox News Digital)
Trump and Vance have been vocal in their criticism of Fema’s handling of the aftermath of Hurricane Helene before and shortly after he took office. The White House announced plans last week to set up a council to assess the agency and how it manages help for Americans during disasters.
In mid-January, FEMA had plans to put an end to temporary housing aid Die to those who were affected by the hurricane affected by the hurricane About 2,000 inhabitants of North Carolina In the same weekend a snowstorm blows through the area, but since then the office has expanded Deadline several times after the public protest, the most recent extension is a deadline of 26 May.
Vice President JD Vance meets Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin together with Mayor Katie Lamb and Senator Todd Pilion in Damascus, Virginia, on Monday, January 27, 2025. This is the first official trip of Vice -President Vance with the Trump government to Damascus, destroyed by Hurricane Helene in September. (Audrey Conklin/Fox News Digital)
“The thing I heard the most when I was before the inauguration in West -Noord -Carolina, but it was after the elections, is that there are people who wanted to place trailers or other temporary housing in certain areas of the West North Carolina, But they could not because FEMA designed these specific areas not to be eligible for the type of help that people would enable to place that temporary accommodation in the first place. That is another example of the kind of things that has been broken about the federal reaction, “said Vance.
VICE president JD Vance Waves while on Monday January 27, 2025 he arrives at Air Force Two on Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, Pool)
Trump stopped on January 24 in Fletcher and Swanannoa, North Carolina to share and hear his plans for the area from the locals who lost everything in the hurricane.
Several residents of Swannanoa who spoke with Fox News Digital during the President’s visit, complained about the government’s bureaucracy who made it difficult for them to get money or housing in a reasonable time. Others stated that although they received help from Fema after the hurricane had taken everything they had, it was not enough to help them get back on their feet.
Vice -President JD Vance arrives on Monday January 27, 2025 in Damascus, Virginia. This is the first official journey of Vice -President Vance with the Trump government to Damascus, which was destroyed in September by Hurricane Helene. (Audrey Conklin/Fox News Digital)
Vance said “one of the collection restaurants” from his first week as a vice president is that Americans should have “higher expectations for their federal government.”
“The government is just as fallible as the people who run it. But we can do a lot better than we have in recent years.”
“I have spoken with so many people who will in fact say,” Well, it’s the federal government, all bureaucracy, all bureaucracy. ” No, no, no, no. Said Vance. “We will not be perfect. We will never be. The government is just as fallible as the people who run it. But we can do a lot better than we have in recent years.”
A fire truck shows a sign that says: “Damascus strong” as Vice President JD Vance visits Damascus, Virginia, on Monday January 27, 2025. This is the first official journey of vice -president Vance with the Trump government to Damascus, which became Destroyed by Hurricane Helene in September. (Audrey Conklin/Fox News Digital)
The vice -president, who has family ties with Appalachia, noted that the region has been ‘ignored and left behind for decades, for generations in this country’.
“Again, we will never be perfect, but I promise you that this administration won’t forget you. We love you. We root for you,” said Vance. “And we want to be part of this incredible recovery here in southwestern Virginia. God bless you.”
Vice president JD Vance, left, with Gov. Glenn Youngkin, R-VA., Right, speaks outside the Damascus Dinner, on Monday, January 27, 2025 in Damascus, Virginia, after a briefing on recovery efforts of Hurricane Helene. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis, Pool)
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More than 200 people died as a result of Hurricane Helene in six states, including Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia and Florida. Recovery is a huge and constant company in many areas of the Appalachian region that were that destroyed by historical floods And heavy wind at the end of September, and many residents in these areas who lost their houses in the storm still live in campers and tents four months later.
The US Army Corps of Engineers says that only half of the rubble recovery of Hurricane Helene Is complete.
