The President came to North Carolina this week to campaign for Michael Whatley– the failed Hurricane Helene Recovery Czar who is now running for U.S. Senate.

Honestly, we weren’t planning on covering the rally this week (didn’t want to subject you to that). But what unraveled on Wednesday was just so ridiculous, so insulting, so threatening, that we had to unpack it. 

Here were the 3 worst moments from the Trump/Whatley rally in Gastonia, and one thing you can do about it. 

1. The Threat– Trump threatened to withhold Helene recovery funding

Trump tapped Whatley to lead the federal response to Hurricane Helene, and it’s been a mess. Funding has been delayed, and North Carolinians have said that they “have not seen Whatley doing anything.” No phone calls, no meetings, no results. And to make matters worse, Whatley used his position on the FEMA Review Council to push policies that would enrich his own stock portfolio at North Carolinians’ expense. 

So when Trump started talking about Hurricane Helene, we were already cringing. But it was even worse than expected. 

“We spent more than $2 billion, FEMA funding, and you know you’re waiting for some additional money to take care of some of the back, and I’m gonna get that to you, Michael. Now, if Michael loses, I’m not sending it, OK,” Trump said.

This wasn’t a bad joke, it was a direct threat. The Trump administration has literally been delaying or outright denying disaster aid to states that elect Democrats. 

North Carolinians have been fighting hard to rebuild after Helene. Threatening to further delay aid to impacted communities is an example of the cruelty and apathy that’s defined the Trump administration. 

2. The Insult– Trump called North Carolina “one of the worst in the nation” 

Trump painted a dark, violent picture of our state. He called us “one of the worst in the nation” on crime, saying that we have “blood-soaked killing fields” and streets filled with “filth and squalor.” 

First of all, it’s just not true. Trump’s own attorney general actually said before the rally that North Carolina’s crime rate was declining. 

But what really stuck out about these comments is the visceral disgust Trump has for our state. He sees us as poor, dirty, and destitute. And Whatley echoed those sentiments in his remarks. How out-of-touch are these guys? 

3. The Nonsense– Trump said that skyrocketing gas prices are “a very inexpensive price to pay for what we’ve done”

North Carolinians were already struggling with rising costs before Trump started a war in the Middle East. Since then, diesel prices have reached an all-time high, and that’s driving up the price of everything else, including groceries. 

Trump knows that people are hurting. That’s why he repeated his empty promise to give Americans a trillion dollar bribe if they elect Republicans this November. 

Whatley continues to back Trump’s war with Iran. And he has good reason to– he’s a former Big Oil lobbyist who still has tons of money invested in the industry. The longer the war drags on, the higher gas prices go, the more money Whatley is raking in. 

What you can do

Whatley brought the President of the United States to our home to threaten us, insult us, and dismiss us, and then they both had the audacity to expect applause. More than applause, they demanded our support, asking us to vote for the leaders who have already taken so much from us.     

Frustrated? We are too. That’s why we have to turn out this year and send a clear message that North Carolina has had enough of the self-serving politicians who will prioritize anything except for the people they were elected to serve. 

Get registered and make a plan to vote. Better yet, help a friend and family member make a  plan too. Have questions about the upcoming election? Check out ncvoterguide.org or call NC Voter Protection Hotline 888-OUR-VOTE (888-687-8683).