This past week, I attended an economic event at the renowned City University of New York. During the seminar, a lone protester briefly interrupted the agenda by positing that the current administration under President Biden was doing insufficiently in aiding the victims of Hurricane Helene. The protester’s political affiliation wasn’t explicit; there were also comments about Israel that made his points even more indistinct. However, this incident served to confirm that the recent falsification propagated by none other than Donald Trump has indeed made a widespread circulation.
In the recent past, Trump sought to politically profit from the unfortunate events of the natural disaster. He propagated a claim where he alleges that government bodies headed by Biden and North Carolina’s Democratic governor are intentionally withholding assistance from Republican regions. It’s important to clarify that these allegations lack any verification. The reality is that colossal rescue and recovery efforts are currently in progress and many state governors, inclusive of Republican members, have lauded these federal endeavors.
On top of this, Trump remarked that Georgia’s Republican governor, Brian Kemp, experienced difficulty in contacting the President. In fact, Governor Kemp expressed his gratitude to the president for offering to provide any necessary aid. As we can see, Trump’s bid to win support continues to rely heavily on fabrications. It may seem that the effectiveness of previous falsifications is descending, prompting Trump to devise new fabrications.
Prior to discussing disaster assistance, I should mention that Trump has trailblazed an unparalleled direction in the world of political deceit. A great number of politicians may have distorted their personal backgrounds or their policies—he’s no exception. But Trump went a step ahead and crafted an entire illusionary world, attempting to convince the electorate that America is a nation beleaguered with a slumping economy and overrun by threatening immigrants.
Contrarily, the United States boasts low inflation rates and minimal unemployment. The purchasing power of the average worker surpasses that of half a decade ago. While it is undeniable that certain Americans continue to face hardships, it was no different under Trump’s administration. However, Trump’s ominous portrayal of America as a dystopic nightmare seems to be losing its political allure.
One instance indicating Trump’s waning influence is the recent Cook Political Report poll from swing states. It revealed that, while Trump retains a slight edge regarding the economy, Kamala Harris is on equal footing concerning addressing inflation and living costs. She also trails by a small margin on who could best address crime and violence. Hence, it might be time for Trump to come up with a fresh, unfounded source of fear and anger.
The implication that Biden is denying support to politically adverse disaster-stricken regions might stem from projection. Trump was alleged to have done something similar during his time in office, while part of this accusation might involve Biden and Harris not immediately visiting these distressed areas. However, Biden and Harris’ actions should be seen as responsible rather than aloof.
In the wake of a natural disaster, a high-profile political visitor with extensive security requirements is the last thing disaster management teams need. It’s not the politicians who actively engage in the rescue of stranded residents or mend damaged roads, yet their visits would unduly draw vital personnel and resources away from these tasks. Former FEMA officials also question the merit of early visits to affected areas such as Valdosta, GA due to this reason.
However, the allure of accusing Biden of politicizing his hurricane response must have been too strong for Trump to resist. This accusation fits very neatly into the trend of claims Trump habitually makes. His consistent strategy circumvents strongly provable facts and preys on fear by making his proponents believe that terrible occurrences are happening far from their sight.
He repeatedly reinforces the belief that Haitians are adopting unconventional means for sustenance in Springfield, Ohio, and that immigrant ‘thugs’ have annexed Aurora, Colo., along with hundreds of towns and cities across America, including large ones. Yet, in New York — a city where immigrants comprise approximately 36% of the population — contradicts his claims. Official crime data indicates it is one of America’s safest cities, but his methodology banks on the ignorance of those who are unfamiliar with the actual conditions.
Perceptions of the economy also follow this pattern. A recent poll by The Wall Street Journal reveals inhabitants of seven swing states believe that their national economy is floundering, but they see their own states’ economies as generally stable. At one point in time, disparaging Americans’ perceptions of their nation worked to Trump’s political benefit.
However, at the current moment, Trump’s use of fear to manipulate perceptions pertaining to crime and the economy seems to be depreciating in effectiveness. His claims of the federal government neglecting hurricane victims might convince those unaware of the colossal efforts underway to provide essential supplies and restore communications in challenging circumstances.