Biden calls climate change deniers ‘brain dead,’ warns storms will get worse

President Biden on Wednesday criticized climate change deniers and warned that storms will get worse, after he surveyed damage caused by Hurricane Helene.

Biden took an aerial tour of Asheville, N.C., and then traveled to Raleigh for a briefing on hurricane relief efforts alongside Gov. Roy Cooper (D), during which he bashed those skeptical of the impacts of climate change.

“No one can deny the impact of climate crisis anymore. At least I hope they don’t, they must be brain dead if they do,” Biden said. “Scientists report that with warming oceans powering more intense rains, storms like Helene are getting stronger and stronger. They’re not going to get less, they’re going to get stronger.”

The president said he approved Cooper’s request for the federal government to cover all the costs for six months for debris removal and emergency protective measures. And, he noted that the federal government is set to send 1,000 troops to aid Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.

Biden also spread a message of unity, calling for the hurricane to not be politicized. He said he worked with both Cooper, noting he is a Democrat, and South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster, noting he is a Republican.

“In a moment like this, we put politics aside. At least, we should put it all aside — we have here,” Biden said. “There are no Democrats or Republicans, there are only Americans. And our job is to help as may people as we can, as quickly as we can, and as thoroughly as we can.”

Former President Trump traveled Monday to Georgia, where he criticized the Biden administration’s handling of the hurricane and falsely said that Gov. Brian Kemp (R) was having a “hard time getting the president on the phone” after the two had already spoken.

While Biden was in North Carolina, Vice President Harris traveled Wednesday to Georgia for a briefing and to survey the damage in Augusta. She announced Biden approved Kemp’s request for 100 percent federal reimbursement for local costs and that the federal government will cover the local government costs for food, water and shelter.

“I think that in these moments of hardships one of the beauties about who we are as a country is people really rally together and show the best of who they are, in moments of crisis,” Harris said.

Biden plans to visit Georgia and Florida on Thursday while Harris has plans to visit North Carolina in the coming days.