After the devastation wrought by Hurricane Helene on the southeastern states of Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia, former President Donald Trump visited Valdosta, Georgia, prompting praise from his ex-wife Marla Maples, with whom he has a daughter, Tiffany.
“Atlanta totaled more than 11 inches of rain in 48 hours, smashing a record that stood for almost 150 years,” USA Today noted. Arriving in Georgia, Trump stated, “We’re not talking about politics now,” adding that he had spoken with Elon Musk about using Starlink, SpaceX’s satellite internet service, to aid the restoration of communication.
“Trump’s event was coordinated with Samaritan’s Purse, a Christian humanitarian aid group founded by Franklin Graham, the son of influential evangelical leader Billy Graham,” CNBC reported.
“So happy to see My Daughter’s father @realDonaldTrump in my home state of Georgia,” Maples wrote on X. “He is there to support the people and communities after this horrible hurricane. … We have to keep praying for all of our dear friends in Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas and also in Florida… This is not normal folks. God first @TiffanyATrump @SamaritansPurse.”
So happy to see My Daughter’s father @realDonaldTrump in my home state of Georgia 🙏 He is there to support the people and communities after this horrible hurricane We have to keep praying for all of our dear friends in Georgia, Tennessee, the Carolinas and also in Florida……
— marla maples (@itsmarlamaples) September 30, 2024
“We are now heading to Valdosta, Georgia, in order to pay my respects and bring lots of relief material, including fuel, equipment, water, and other things, to the State,” Trump wrote on X. “Many politicians and Law Enforcement will be there. We’ll be saying hello to Franklin Graham, Burt Jones, Tyler Harper, Mike Collins, Austin Scott, Russ Goodman, Sam Watson, and the Mayor of Valdosta Scott James. They are working very hard.”
Georgia GOP governor Brian Kemp anticipated the hurricane, issuing an executive order on September 24 declaring a state of emergency. He ordered 500 National Guard troops to be readied for response and recovery efforts, and that commercial vehicles operating outside the normal weight, height, and length restriction would be issued permits, adding, “Nothing in this Executive Order shall be construed to allow any vehicle to exceed weight limits posted for bridges and like structures.”