Vice President Kamala Harris has come under fire from MAGA Republicans and other right-wing figures for her response to the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, sparked by Israel’s continued bombing campaign against Hezbollah. Harris’s announcement of additional aid for Lebanon, at a time when millions of Americans are reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Helene, has ignited a political firestorm just weeks before the 2024 presidential election.
In her social media post, Harris expressed concern about Lebanon’s deteriorating humanitarian situation, citing the ongoing Israeli offensive targeting Hezbollah forces in southern Lebanon. Israel, now over a week into its ground incursion into the region, has intensified its military campaign following nearly a year of sporadic clashes with Hezbollah, which has claimed its actions are in solidarity with Hamas. As the conflict escalates, Lebanon, already grappling with political and economic instability, has faced heavy bombardment, including strikes on major cities like Beirut and Tripoli.
“The people of Lebanon are facing an increasingly dire humanitarian situation,” Harris said. “I am concerned about the security and well-being of civilians suffering in Lebanon and will continue working to help meet the needs of all civilians there.” Harris announced an additional $157 million in US assistance to address essential needs such as food, shelter, water, and sanitation. This new funding brings total US assistance to Lebanon over the past year to over $385 million.
However, this move has been met with sharp criticism from prominent Republicans who argue that the Biden-Harris administration is neglecting domestic crises, such as the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in favor of international aid. They argue that Harris’s priorities are misaligned, especially when many American citizens in the Southeast are struggling to rebuild their lives following the hurricane’s destruction.
One of the most vocal critics, Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, wasted no time lambasting Harris for her decision. Greene expressed outrage over the significant aid being sent to Lebanon while accusing Harris of offering insufficient help to Americans affected by the hurricane. “Kamala gave Hurricane Helene victims $750 bucks. Americans can fire her soon,” Greene tweeted, referencing the disaster relief checks issued by FEMA. Florida Senator Rick Scott echoed Greene’s sentiments, suggesting that the administration was prioritizing foreign countries over its own citizens. “If we renamed Florida and North Carolina to Lebanon and Ukraine, maybe Kamala Harris would send disaster relief faster,” Scott wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
This criticism comes in the midst of an already heated political atmosphere, with both parties jockeying for position ahead of the upcoming election. The hurricane’s impact on key swing states such as Georgia and North Carolina has added fuel to the fire. The fallout from Hurricane Helene, which has so far claimed the lives of at least 227 people across six states, has become a focal point in the campaign, with Republicans looking to capitalize on any perceived shortcomings in the Biden administration’s response.
Donald Trump, Harris’s rival in the 2024 race, has used the crisis to further his attacks on the administration. Trump’s campaign adviser, Chris LaCivita, joined the chorus of criticism, accusing the administration of being “tone deaf” in its handling of domestic disasters. Trump himself falsely claimed that federal disaster funds were being diverted to support international efforts, a claim that President Joe Biden swiftly refuted.
Biden responded directly to Trump’s accusations, calling him a “liar” and pointing out that the Trump administration had previously redirected FEMA funds for immigration enforcement. In 2019, Trump’s administration moved $155 million in FEMA funds to support efforts at the southern border, a decision that Biden referenced to highlight the hypocrisy of the former president’s claims. “We are moving heaven and earth to make sure that everyone affected by Hurricane Helene gets what they need,” Biden posted on X, along with a fact-check article debunking Trump’s assertion.
While the political storm rages on in the US, the situation in Lebanon grows more dire. According to the Lebanese Health Ministry, over 2,000 people have been killed since Israel’s war in Gaza escalated in October, following attacks by Hamas. Israel’s military operations in southern Lebanon are largely aimed at Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group that has long been a thorn in Israel’s side. As the conflict continues, civilians in Lebanon are caught in the crossfire, with displacement and destruction taking a heavy toll on the population.
The US has long provided humanitarian aid to Lebanon, recognizing the immense challenges the country faces, particularly given its proximity to ongoing conflicts in the region. The latest round of US aid announced by Harris is intended to address the urgent needs of those displaced by the fighting, with a focus on ensuring access to food, clean water, and shelter.
Yet, the administration’s critics have seized on this aid package as an opportunity to paint Harris and Biden as out of touch with the needs of ordinary Americans. Some have framed the administration’s support for Israel’s military campaign and its simultaneous provision of humanitarian aid to Lebanon as contradictory.
Ben Norton, editor of Geopolitical Economy Report, criticized the administration’s actions, accusing Biden and Harris of hypocrisy. “The Biden-Harris admin is giving Israel billions of dollars of weapons to massacre civilians in Lebanon. The US gov’t is like a serial killer giving ‘humanitarian aid’ to an orphan after murdering their family,” Norton posted.
Left-wing commentator Hasan Piker also voiced frustration with US policy, condemning the administration for supporting Israel’s military while offering aid to Lebanon. “The way American leadership treats Israel’s violent acts as a natural disaster is disgusting,” Piker wrote. “Especially when you realize that they give Israel the bombs to create the ‘increasingly dire humanitarian situation.’”
For the Biden-Harris administration, the balancing act between domestic and international priorities has never been more precarious. With key swing states impacted by Hurricane Helene and ongoing conflicts abroad requiring humanitarian intervention, the administration faces tough decisions that will inevitably be scrutinized by both sides of the political aisle.
As the 2024 election approaches, the fallout from these decisions may prove crucial in shaping the narrative surrounding Harris’s vice-presidency and Biden’s presidency. Whether or not the administration’s efforts to address both domestic and international crises will resonate with voters remains to be seen. For now, the criticism surrounding Lebanon aid and Hurricane Helene recovery highlights the difficult position the administration finds itself in as it tries to navigate a world of competing interests and escalating conflicts.
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