Tulsi Gabbard criticizes Biden’s handling of Maui wildfires, citing a lack of trust.

Former Democratic Hawaii Rep. ⁤Tulsi Gabbard Calls for Rebuilding Trust in the Aftermath of Maui Wildfires

Former Democratic Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard has emphasized the urgent need for President Joe Biden​ and other government leaders to address the “huge deficit in trust” ⁢that has ​emerged following the devastating wildfires in Lahaina, Maui. Speaking on Fox and Friends, Gabbard highlighted the lack of assistance provided by the government to the residents of Maui and stressed the‌ importance of‌ regaining the trust of the affected community.

Rebuilding Trust and Restoring Communication

“There’s a lack of trust‌ because of ⁢the failure to communicate, ⁢the failure to ⁣provide services. ⁤The people in these surrounding communities have​ been faced with a situation where they had no power. They were⁣ told they couldn’t drink the water out of the faucet. Roadblocks were being ⁣put in place. So they had⁣ to turn to ‌each other as a community to get food and to get the kind of immediate, basic support they needed. They didn’t see anybody from any level of the government ⁣for over‌ a week after this catastrophe happened,” Gabbard said.

Gabbard emphasized the significant deficit in ⁣trust that needs to be addressed. She called for the presence and active ​engagement of leaders, from⁤ President Joe Biden to local officials, in order to ‌effectively respond to the needs and concerns expressed by the affected communities.

A ‌Call for Genuine Assessment and Support

Gabbard expressed hope that President Biden’s visit to the island would result in a “real, honest assessment” of the devastation, rather than a mere photo‌ opportunity. She highlighted the initial announcement made by the federal government, which offered a one-time payment of $700, as damaging to the trust ‌between residents and government officials.

Gabbard stated, “Unfortunately, again, there is a⁣ trust deficit because not only have people not shown up, but it was almost a slap in⁣ the ⁢face of⁣ the people there ‍when the big announcement from FEMA was, ‍’Hey, we are going to give you a one-time payment of $700.’ Anybody ‌who has been⁤ to Hawaii knows that $700 does not go very far at a time when so many have lost everything.”

As the search-and-rescue efforts​ continue in ​the fire-ravaged communities, officials in Maui reported that 850 ‍people are still missing. The fire has already claimed⁢ the lives of⁤ 114 individuals, with the possibility of that number rising as the search progresses. President Biden⁣ is ‌scheduled to ‍visit Maui on Monday to meet with⁤ local officials and⁤ witness the devastation firsthand.

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