A fundraiser authorized by former President Donald Trump to help Hurricane Helene victims has raised over $1.6 million in just 16 hours.
The GoFundMe campaign raised an eye-popping $900,000 less than an hour after launching.
The fundraiser's description reads:President Donald J. Trump has launched this GoFundMe campaign as an official response for MAGA supporters to offer their financial assistance to their fellow Americans impacted by Hurricane Helene. With so many across the Southeastern U.S. facing challenges after the storm, President Trump is on the ground in communities to see the aftermath firsthand. All donations will be directed to help those most affected by Hurricane Helene. Any level of generosity will go a long way for your fellow Americans who are suffering.
The current top donor is Senator Kelly Loeffler, who contributed $500,000. Billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman, lawyer Dan Newlin, Bass Pro Shops, and UFC President Dana White each contributed $100,000. Rock icon Kid Rock donated $20,000.
As of Tuesday morning, over 132 people in six states were confirmed dead from the hurricane's destruction. That number is expected to rise as approximately 600 people remain unaccounted for in Asheville, North Carolina, alone.
Trump has been highly critical of the federal response to the disaster.
While visiting Valdosta, Georgia, on Monday, Trump said it was time to put politics aside and help those impacted by the hurricane.
"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 now. We have to all get together and get this solved. We need a lot of help. They have to have a lot of help down here," Trump said.
Still, he criticized President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for not doing more to help, saying, "They're being very nonresponsive."
Harris spoke at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in Washington on Monday and said she intended to visit impacted areas once her presence will not disrupt emergency efforts.
"I have shared with them that we will do everything in our power to help communities respond and recover, and I have shared with them that I plan to be on the ground as soon as possible. But as soon as possible without disrupting any emergency response operations, because that must be the highest priority, and the first order of business," Harris said.
