No link between Ukraine and Helene aid, and Joe Biden didn’t rule out future hurricane aid

Hurricane Helene killed more than 100 people in six states as it left a trail of destruction across the southeastern U.S.

President Joe Biden briefly talked about the storm Sept. 29 in remarks to reporters at Dover Air Force base, and his response to one question has since been mischaracterized across social media.

"Biden announces ‘$2.4 billion more to Ukraine" but "No more aid for Hurricane Helene," a Sept. 30 Facebook post said.

We found other posts claiming that Biden said no more aid would be coming for states affected by the storm, with some tying it to aid for Ukraine.

These Facebook and Instagram posts were flagged as part of Meta’s efforts to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed. (Read more about our partnership with Meta, which owns Facebook, Threads and Instagram.)

 A closer look at his Biden’s full remarks show that he did not rule out future aid for states ravaged by the storm: 

Reporter: "Do you have any words for the victims of the hurricane?"

Biden: "Yes, it’s tragic. As a matter of fact, we’re trying to get the exact number. My FEMA advisor’s on the ground in Florida right now. There’s a distinction between the number that FEMA’s used and the ones that are used by the locals. So, it really is amazing. You saw the photographs. It’s stunning. It really is."

Reporter: "Such a wide area."

Biden: "We’ve given them all … everything that we have on the ground ahead of time. So, we’re working hard."

Reporter question: "Are there any more resources the federal government could be giving them?"

Biden: "No, we've given them … We have preplanned a significant amount of it, even though they didn't ask for it yet …  hadn't asked for it yet." 

The same day Biden made those comments to reporters, the White House released a fact sheet detailing the administration’s relief efforts.

It said Biden directed FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to "determine what more can be done" to speed aid to those having trouble accessing help.

The fact sheet describes actions the Biden administration is already taking, including:

• Approving major disaster declarations for Florida and North Carolina, which lets people immediately access money and resources. FEMA aid could include upfront funds to pay for essential items such as food and water. Money may also be available to repair homes or find temporary shelter. On Sept. 30, Biden said in a news conference that South Carolina had also been granted a major disaster declaration.

• Declaring emergency declarations for Florida, North Carolina, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia and Alabama. That declaration allows FEMA to provide direct support to states for emergency activities.

• Activating more than 3,300 federal workers to support response efforts.

• Moving generators and other equipment into the hardest-hit areas.

• Coordinating with state and local partners to coordinate federal assistance requests.

The U.S. National Guard said in a Sept. 29 X post that "more than 5,500 National Guardsmen from 11 states" are supporting relief efforts.

U.S. Homeland Security Adviser Elizabeth Sherwood-Randall detailed the range of the federal effort in a Sept. 30 White House press briefing, describing multiple federal agencies’ role in the recovery efforts. 

"More will follow as we know more about the impacts" of the storm, she said. "We honestly don’t know the full extent of the damage. It probably will take several more days."

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Instagram posts

stated on October 6, 2024 in an Instagram post

FEMA “blocked a runway” at a South Carolina airport and “halted” hurricane relief flights.

After returning to the White House, Biden on Sept. 30 addressed the federal response to Hurricane Helene, which he called a "history making storm." 

He said his team is in constant contact with governors, mayors and local leaders and that Criswell is temporarily stationed in Asheville, North Carolina, which was hit hard by flooding. 

"I directed my team to provide every available resource as fast as possible to your communities, to rescue, recover and to begin rebuilding," Biden said.

Biden said he plans to visit affected states later in the week once his presence won’t disrupt emergency services.

In response to a reporter’s question, Biden said he expects to ask Congress for a supplemental spending bill and that he might request that legislators return to Washington, D.C., for a special session.

"I'm here to tell every single survivor in these impacted areas that we will be there with you as long as it takes," Biden said.

Hours before Helene made landfall near Perry, Florida, late Sept. 26, Biden met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and announced a new $8 billion security assistance package for Ukraine in its war with Russia.

That package included $2.4 billion from the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative to provide air support and the authorization of $5.5 billion from the Presidential Drawdown Authority.

The Defense Department-led Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative was created by Congress in 2015. Under it, the department buys weapons directly from industry, rather than drawing down existing weapons supply.

The Ukraine funding draws from money already appropriated by Congress.

Social media posts claimed that Biden "announced" there would be billions in aid for Ukraine but no more aid for areas affected by Hurricane Helene.

A closer look at Biden’s Sept. 29 comments shows he made no such announcement. A reporter asked whether there were more resources the federal government could be giving states, and Biden answered no and said the administration had preplanned a significant amount of aid that was already being deployed. 

Biden didn’t rule out future additional resources; a day later he said he plans to ask Congress for a supplemental spending bill for hurricane-affected areas. 

The Ukraine aid was already approved by Congress; it is unconnected to the storm. Biden was not privileging a foreign war over a domestic catastrophe. We rate the claim False.