LIVE: Trump Delivers Remarks After Briefing on Helene Response

Thank you very much, everybody, for being here. It's an honor. Thank you to all of those great people at Samaritan's Purse. We've seen you at many different sites over the years, and you're doing a fantastic job in Franklin, the job that Franklin is doing right here. We appreciate it. We have, I think I can just go through the list. We have so many people from the state and from the area. We'll start off with Franklin, Grand President of Samaritan's Purse. Thank you very much. Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, Bert Jones. Thank you, Bert. Tyler Harper, we all know. Mike Collins, we all know. Congressman and Austin Scott, great Congressman. Incredible papers. Kelly Loeffler, a former U.S. Senator, highly respected person. Everybody loves her. Ross Goodman, State Senator. Sam Watson, State Senator. Thank you, Senator. John Corbett, State Senator. John Burchett, State Representative, as you know. John LaHood, State Representative. Ashley Park, County Sheriff. Thank you, Ashley. Chase Daughtry, Cook County Judge, respected, so respected. Doug Hank, Cook County Sheriff. Ashley Tai, we know. Paige Dukes, we know. Richard Hardy, City Manager. Thank you. Scott James, Bill Slaughter, Buddy Duke, Patrick and Kate Watson, the owners of the store we just spoke. And I said, I would have bought some furniture if you had some in there. But I always look for furniture, and they have beautiful stuff. But they're going to be rebuilt in a very, very short period. So I want to thank everybody. And we came down with truckloads of things. And we're going to have that done by Franklin's incredible organization. They've done such a good job. They've done this before. But we have a lot of truckloads of different items, from oil to water to all sorts of equipment that's going to help them. We're here today to stand in complete solidarity with the people of Georgia and with all of those suffering in the terrible aftermath of Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Helene turned out to be a big one. It's about the biggest that anyone's seen. I spoke with all of the elite people, all of the people that do this for a living and do this at least to help. And they said they've never seen one this bad. Valdosta has been ravaged. The town is very badly hurting. And many thousands are without power. They're running low on food and fuel. We've brought a lot of it down with us. Throughout Georgia as well as North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida, Virginia, Alabama and Tennessee. That's a big one. And the devastation wrought by this storm is incredible. It's so extensive. Nobody thought this would be happening, especially now it's so late in the season for hurricanes. Homes, hospitals, highways and cars have been plunged underwater. Entire neighborhoods have been turned into lakes. Nobody's seen anything like it. And every family that's been displaced here in Georgia and North Carolina, which has really been hit. We're going there also. And they don't have communication. They don't have anything right now. We're trying to. I just spoke to Elon on getting him. We want to get Starlink hooked up because they have no communication whatsoever. And Elon will always come through. And so we're working on that, getting him hooked up. They asked me whether or not that would be possible. We're going to try and get Starlink in there as soon as possible because they have no communication. And throughout the region, our hearts are with you. And we are going to be with you as long as you need. It's called an hour of need. You're in our prayers. And we pray to God. And throughout this long week, the long weeks that lay ahead, you're going to have a lot of work. The end result is it's going to be good. We just wish so many people weren't so badly hurt and, in many cases, badly no longer with us. We love you. We love everyone. Everyone, I mean, to be honest. We love everyone. And we'll be back. And we'll be back again soon. And continue to help until you're bigger. I say bigger, better, stronger than ever before. But, again, you can't ever discount the fact that people are lost. A lot of people have been lost in this terrible storm, this terrible hurricane. It's a storm that's also taken the lives of, I guess they have a count of 91, but that count changes on an hourly basis. And it goes only in one direction. Unfortunately, we have at least 91 people already. And to the families and loved ones of those who have perished, we mourn alongside of you. And we grieve every single life so tragically lost. I'd like to now ask for a moment of silence and prayer. A few words for those who have died. Thank you. Thank you very much. As you know, our country is in the final weeks of a hard-fought national election. But in a time like this, when a crisis hits, when our fellow citizens cry out in need, none of that matters. We're not talking about politics. We have to all get together and get this out. We have a lot of help. We look out for one another. We pull together. We pitch in. We persevere. And we pull it through. That is really the American spirit. That's what made America originally great. And that's why today I've come to well-dressed large semi-trucks, many of them, filled with relief aid and a tanker truck filled up with gasoline and a couple of the big tanker trucks filled up with gasoline, which they can't get now. And we'll be working to distribute it throughout the day. And I want to thank, again, Franklin Graham and everyone at Samaritan's Purse. You people are fantastic. And people appreciate you very much for the incredible partnering and work that they've done, not only here but all the time. They always seem to be the first ones at areas that need help. A short time ago I received a briefing on the situation here in Valdosta from FEMA and the National Guard as well as a number of state and local officials. Quite a few of them. It's amazing the way it's just all been pulled together. Really amazing. I want to thank Mayor Scott James of Valdosta. He's a real scholar. A really great scholar. I want to thank Lieutenant Governor Bert Jones and Agricultural Commissioner Tyler Hart for representing us, as I said before, Austin Scott and Mike Allen and all of the others present. I also want to thank Governor Brian Kemp who's working around the clock to get this problem solved. He's working hard around the clock. We also have a salute to the incredible first responders, law enforcement heroes, and they are heroes, doctors, nurses, firefighters, Coast Guard, National Guard, who've been serving with such extraordinary grace. The work is incredible. Nobody thought they'd see something like this. You're the best. You are truly the best of America, and you're appreciated by America. Sometimes you don't feel that way, but you're very much appreciated by America. I know each and every one of you is giving to this community of everything you have. You're doing things that you wouldn't normally even think about doing. The people on the ground are doing the best they can in every challenge and circumstance. We do need some help from the federal government to get together. I'm trying to get them, and I'm sure they're going to come through, but we've been calling the President. He hasn't been able to get them, but they'll come through, I'm sure. Georgia and North Carolina need the help, probably worst of all, but North Carolina has really been hit. They have really been hit. Nobody's seen anything like that at all. Every part of these communities has been affected by this brutal storm, and countless Georgia cotton and pecan farmers. The farmers have been affected, Kelly, very, very badly, very, very badly. And I love those farmers, and we're going to take care of the farmers. There's no question about it. Their crops and their livelihoods have been so badly affected. What actions needed to get the farmers access to loans and disaster recovery aid to help them quickly get back on their feet so they can help our nation prosper. I always support our great farmers and agricultural communities, and just go out. I know that the help is going to be there, and help will soon be on its way. There's no question about that. With the path to full and complete recovery, we will work very hard. It won't be easy because this one is so bad, but we know in our hearts God is with us. God is strongly with us, and that the American people are stronger than any challenge that stands in our way. We have a lot of challenges in this country, more than we should have, frankly. But the American people are very strong and very smart. Working together, we'll overcome these hardships. We'll endure. We will rebuild Valdosta and every other town that has been so badly hit, and we'll emerge stronger, more united, and more prosperous than ever before. You're going to be stronger, better. You're going to learn a lot from it. And, again, we pray to God for those that have been so badly injured, and for, in particular, for the people that are no longer with us. And God bless everybody. And, Franklin, I want to thank you very much for your being here so quickly, very, very quickly. It's always very early. And, Franklin, maybe I could ask you to say a few words. Franklin Grant, thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. This building behind us represents hundreds of thousands of people that have lost homes, businesses, friends, loved ones. And it's going to take an army of volunteers and people to respond. And, of course, at Samaritan's Purse, we want to respond always in Jesus' name. And we want people to know that God loves them, that God cares for them. Sometimes, when a storm like this comes, people think, well, maybe God is mad at us. Maybe this is His judgment. No, God loves us. How do I know that? Because the Bible tells us that God loves us and cares for us. And, yes, there are storms in life. But God will take us through those storms if we put our faith and trust in His Son, Jesus Christ. Thank you, Mr. President, for coming and helping to put a spotlight on this city, this state, and this region that has lost so much. Thank you. May God bless you, Mr. President. I've been asked if I would lead in a prayer. Our Father and our God, we come today to say thank you for these men and women who are here as volunteers. Thank you for the President who has taken time to come and to see it for himself, to shake hands, to encourage, and to smile in the faces of people that have been hurt and devastated by this storm. Father, we ask for help. Father, we pray that as we come to this election that your will be done. And so, Father, we pray for the President. Strengthen him. Protect him. Father, we thank you. And it's in Jesus' name we pray this prayer. Amen.