JD Vance issues sharp criticism of Biden administration's response to Helene in Greensboro town hall

Senator JD Vance held a town hall in Greensboro on Thursday where he criticized the federal response to Hurricane Helene.

The energy was high as several hundred people gathered to hear the vice presidential nominee deliver his message on why he and former President Donald Trump were the best fit to lead the country for the next four years.

During the town hall-style event, Vance fielded a range of questions from immigration to the economy, while attempting to connect the challenges many are facing in western North Carolina in the wake of Helene to the current administration.

"If you don't have accountability, in other words, if you don't fire the people who screwed up, it's never going to get better," Vance said. "And what's fundamentally different about the leadership style of Kamala Harris and Donald Trump is, Donald Trump, I mean, hell, he got famous for saying 'you're fired.' He believes in accountability in the government. Kamala Harris doesn't."

Trump has also politicized the storm, making baseless claims that the Biden administration was "going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas."

Outside the event, Helene was top of mind for several attendees including Appalachian State University student Benjamin Dulin.

"The current administration's response to the hurricane, I would describe it as disastrous," he said. "A lot of people in western North Carolina are not doing good, my family lives in western North Carolina, and they say FEMA hasn't even helped them yet."

According to the agency, more than 900 staff are in the state and over $60 million has been paid out so far to survivors of the storm.

Joseph Welborn, another Appalachian State University student, said he was excited to cast his first vote in a national election for Trump, adding that Vance brings his own unique attributes to the ticket.

"I think he articulates his points as well, or even better than Trump does," Welborn said. "I feel like he is a better messenger and gets out more of the specifics than Trump does. Like Trump's the broad strokes guy, and then Vance gets out specific policy initiatives."

He said what also separated Vance on both tickets was that at the age of 40, he represents the future of his party.

Less than a month remains until the general election. In-person early voting in North Carolina begins Oct. 17.