Trump’s Visit to Devastated North Carolina Showed True Leadership – The Devil Is in the Details

Establishment politicians like those who filled former President Joe Biden’s administration undoubtedly have many reasons to hate President Donald Trump. But one reason, oft-overlooked, deserves special attention.

In short, Trump has undermined their ability to patronize the ordinary American citizens whom they so obviously and thoroughly despise.

For those who missed it, a telling example occurred Friday in western North Carolina, where Trump, rather than imitating establishment politicians by monopolizing a news conference and bloviating about promises he never intended to keep, turned his microphone over to residents of that storm-ravaged region and allowed them to tell their own tragic stories of loss and subsequent neglect.

In a clip posted Friday to the social media platform X, Trump invited a local pastor to her story.

The pastor, identified by USA Today as Ramona Nix of Eagle Rock Church in Swannanoa, explained that after Hurricane Helene hit the area in September, she and others used their large, recently dedicated church as both a shelter and a staging point for the collection and dispensation of supplies.

She also told the president that supporters from other states showed up to help. But the government, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency never did.

“We have not received any help, like from the government, or anything,” she said, according to a White House transcript.

“FEMA did nothing,” Trump said in a tone that revealed his exasperation. “FEMA’s a waste of time and money.”

Aside from the sadness in the woman’s voice as she recalled the ordeal, viewers should notice two details that matter.

First, before she even spoke, the much-taller Trump personally lowered the podium’s microphone to accommodate her diminutive stature.

Then, the president listened intently as she told her story. The clip continued for nearly three minutes, and apart from his “FEMA did nothing” comment he never interrupted her.

I don’t want to hear EVER AGAIN that the democrats care about “working people”

President Trump just gave the people of Western North Carolina a giant microphone to tell their stories.

He hugged them. He listened to them. He asked questions.

BIDEN IGNORED US FOR 4 MONTHS!!!!! pic.twitter.com/jSyTlxHPnl

— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) January 24, 2025

During his own time at the microphone, Trump unleashed on FEMA under the Biden administration.

“FEMA has been a very big disappointment,” Trump said, according to WCNC-TV in Charlotte. “They cost a tremendous amount of money, it’s very bureaucratic, and it’s very slow. Other than that, we’re very happy with them.”

“They don’t have anything,” the president later added, referring to the hurricane victims. “They got a stipend for what they lost, and we’re going to take care of it. This is totally unacceptable, and I’ll be taking strong action to get North Carolina the support that you need to quickly recover and rebuild.”

Of course, the Biden administration’s shoddy treatment of hurricane victims constitutes a story in its own right. But that story also amounts to only one chapter in a lengthy and shameful book.

If that book had a title, it might read: “Democrats Despise Ordinary Americans and Can No Longer Conceal It.”

Consider, for instance, the words of the X user who d the clip above.

“I don’t want to hear EVER AGAIN that the democrats care about ‘working people,” the user wrote.

Indeed, thanks in large part to X owner Elon Musk’s social media platform, Democrats have had their masks removed. Americans can now see them for the loathsome establishment shills they are. And Democrats cannot do a thing about it.

After all, the clip of Trump turning over his microphone to the North Carolina pastor had more than 5.5 million views as of Thursday afternoon.

Moreover, after leaving The Tar Heel State, Trump visited wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles. There, he spoke to residents, advocated on their behalf, and made local Democrats look like fools.

In short, Americans can now see in real time the difference between a president who works for them and an establishment politician who gaslights them into oblivion.

One hopes that the observation will teach partially awakened Americans a crucial lesson. Namely, they must not assume that incompetence explains government officials’ behavior.

Instead, they would approach much nearer to the truth if they opened their minds to the initially startling, yet inescapable, conclusion that many government officials, elected and unelected, actively despise everything about their country, most of all its citizens.

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