As recovery efforts continue for California’s wildfires, Steve Chancellor, host of the Native Patriot podcast, has called into question President Joe Biden’s recent promise to fully fund the response and rebuilding process, citing what he describes as “discrepancies” in the federal government’s treatment of disaster-stricken red states.
Chancellor’s criticism focuses on whether states like Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina, which were impacted by Hurricane Helene — a storm that killed over 120 people and damaged 73,000 homes — are receiving comparable support.
Many residents in these states have still not been able to return home and have received far less immediate assistance in the aftermath of the disaster.
"Biden stated that 100% of California’s rebuild from the wildfires will be covered by the federal government," Chancellor wrote on X. "Didn't Mayorkas state that FEMA didn’t have any funding for Florida, Tennessee, and North Carolina?”
His comments reflect concerns about FEMA’s response to disasters in different states, with some noting differences in the level of aid provided to Democratic-leaning states versus Republican-leaning ones.
Chancellor went further, questioning the Biden administration’s funding claims, asking, "Where is the money coming from then? Or did they lie…AGAIN?"
At a press conference, Biden emphasized that FEMA would fully support California’s recovery from the wildfires.
"I'm going to make an appeal right now to the United States Congress. They're going to have to step up when we ask for more help to get people the kind of – they need, to get the kind of help they need. Because it really does matter," he said.
Critics have raised concerns about FEMA’s priorities, especially after Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas stated that FEMA was “out of funds” and could not provide significant aid for the remainder of the 2024 hurricane season.
Some have pointed to FEMA’s $1.4 billion expenditure on migrant-related initiatives as contributing to the agency’s financial shortfall.
Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) also commented, criticizing FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene. Burchett, whose district was affected by the storm, said residents were still without power and living in tents months after the disaster.
“Turns out you can't fight fires with diversity. FEMA needs to do their job or they need to get gone. Permanently,” Burchett said on X.
“I think FEMA's response will be pitiful, as it has always been,” Burchett said in a NewsMax interview. “We just allocated $100 million for FEMA to help those in East Tennessee and North Carolina. Yet, people are still without power, still without water, and still living in tents. It’s ridiculous, especially when people in Hawaii are still waiting. FEMA either needs to go out of business or start doing their job.”
Survivalist Shawn Hendrix, known for his appearances on the MrBeast YouTube channel, also criticized FEMA’s recovery efforts, particularly its failure to provide hotel vouchers to displaced North Carolinians three months after the storm.
“At this point, have you guys done anything right?” Hendrix said in a video posted to X.
“I mean, this is just beyond absurd at this point. In the beginning, I was kind of like, 'well, it's just because they're inept. It's a massive government organization.' It almost feels willful now. What did North Carolina do to you? What did they do to you? Other than maybe not vote for people you like? I'm sorry. I just. I don't even know what to say any more. People are desperate. People are crying on the phones.”
According to CalFire, the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires have burned through approximately 40,644 acres. The fires have destroyed or damaged over 12,300 structures in Pacific Palisades, Altadena, and surrounding neighborhoods.
As of Jan. 14, there are 23 confirmed fatalities, and more than 180,000 residents have been evacuated. Cal Fire reported the largest fires, known as the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades and the Eaton Fire in Altadena, have been exacerbated by severe Santa Ana winds, drought conditions, and heavy brush resulting from last year's rains.
According to AccuWeather, the damage and economic losses from Hurricane Helene are estimated between $250 billion and $275 billion.
The causes of these fires are currently under investigation.
