The Shell Game of Corrupted Government Exposed
Remarks by President Trump in Briefing on Hurricane Michael
Press Release:
President Trump (right), First Lady Melania Trump, FEMA Administrator Brock Long (center) listen to Georgia official (left): Above. (White House photo) Click image to expand.
Georgia Operations Center for the Red Cross • Macon, Georgia • October 15, 2018 • 4:37 P.M. EDT
GOVERNOR DEAL: Mr. President and First Lady, we are honored to have you both here in Georgia, and you're going to get a pretty good view, I think, of what the damage and the assessments that have taken place in our state.
We are fortunate that we did not get hit, in some respects, as nearly as hard as Florida did, but we had extensive damage, especially as it relates to our agricultural community. And you're going to have an opportunity to meet with some of those.
I want to commend you for your Secretaries. And we're, of course, pleased to have our own Secretary as a member of your Cabinet, former Governor Sonny Perdue. You know, between the two of us, we have been the chief executives in the state of Georgia for the last 16 years.
THE PRESIDENT: Right. It's true.
GOVERNOR DEAL: We are very pleased to have him, but we're also pleased to have so many contacts that have been made by the members of your Cabinet. They've done an exceptional job.
And, of course, we are glad to have your FEMA Director here, Brock Long. He and I have talked multiple times, and I have appreciated his involvement and concern about our state. And his people are doing a great job working with our locals. And that's an important thing, as you all know.
I'm going to turn it over to the Administrator right now, for his comments.
ADMINISTRATOR LONG: Thank you, Governor. I really appreciate the partnership. Not only has the Governor been a strong leader, but also Homer Bryson, the Director of Georgia Emergency Management, behind you.
This is all about partnership. Unfortunately, Georgia is no stranger to hurricanes. This is where I started my career. I married a Georgia girl, by the way, too. But the bottom line is, is there was a significant hit coming into southwest Georgia. Category 2 winds. As you can see, the swath is behind us, Mr. President, here. And not only do you see similar damage where trees are down on homes, and there was a tremendous hit to the communications and power infrastructure, but you're going to see generational losses to the agriculture industry as well. The timing of the storm is pretty tough, as Secretary Perdue would tell you.
But our focus is life sustainment, trying to do everything that we can to get access to all the areas to help get the infrastructure - the private sector partners and our power partners that are represented here with Georgia Power - trying to get them access to be able to fix the infrastructure to get the power back on. I believe it's up to about 90 percent back on where we are.
BOWERS: Sure is.
ADMINISTRATOR LONG: But we still have a ways to go. Cell communications is coming back online too. But now it's about taking care of people, sir, and making sure that we get them out of shelters and into longer-term housing for those that have lost their homes. Our staff is pushing forward in the field with disaster survivors. And we'll continue to register. We need people to register with 1-800-621-FEMA, or DisasterAssistance.gov in Georgia.
So I'll turn it back over to you, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much, Brock. I want to just commend you on the job you're doing. We just left Florida, and they are so thrilled with what's happened with our people, our talent. But they're not thrilled about this hurricane, because this was brutal. They haven't seen anything like it. And possibly, there's hasn't been anything like it. The winds are almost 200 miles an hour. Just wiped houses away. The foundations - everything gone. So we saw some areas that were hard to believe, actually. Actually hard to believe.
But the people are incredible in Florida, in Georgia, in Alabama. And, you know, North Carolina and South Carolina went through a lot two weeks ago, and they got a little bit of the remnants of this one too, on top of it. So, incredible people.
But I want to thank FEMA. First responders, the law enforcement has been so incredible. Secretary Nielsen, you worked so hard. I don't think - have you gone to sleep in the last two weeks? I don't think so. (Laughter.) But your whole team has been fantastic. And, Governor, I'd like to thank you on behalf of the country. What a job you've done in Georgia. And I have to say Rick Scott in Florida, likewise. The two of you have really done something.
And I just spoke to the great Governor of Alabama, and she is in there - she is in there fighting and also doing. We have terrific people running these states. And I want to thank you very much - really, very much.
And, Brock, please say compliments to everybody, from myself, the First Lady, Secretary Perdue - who used to be the Governor of Georgia, as we said. But you have been very special. You know more about agriculture than any human being that I've ever spoken to. (Laughter.) And he doesn't like it when the hurricanes wipe out the crops. They just wiped them out. That doesn't make you feel too good; we were talking about it. He doesn't like to see that. But Sonny Perdue has been an incredible Secretary of Agriculture.
And, Sonny, how about saying a little bit?
SECRETARY PERDUE: I want to reiterate what Governor Deal said, President. Your administration is making a reputation for being more connected to your state and local partners than any other administration I can ever remember. Commissioner Black, Governor, I've experienced this well - all the way from the local community leaders to state legislators to governors, the people you've appointed in your office are reaching out here, making people feel like we have truly one government. And that's - and that is wonderful to be a part of that. And I want to thank you for allowing us to do that. Because it makes a difference.
When people undergo situations like this - not even disasters, they're connected - but when they go through like this, they feel like they've got a lifeline to FEMA, to Secretary Nielsen, to any of your administration, and to you particularly. And we want to say - I'm glad to be a part of that. And we - Commissioner Black and I toured some of the ag area yesterday. There are tremendous losses, but our farmers are resilient. We're going to help them, you're going to help them, and they'll be okay.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, let me ask you this, Sonny and Commissioner: When Brock says "generational" damage, I don't like the sound of "generational" damage. What does that mean? And how long does that take to get back?
SECRETARY PERDUE: As we were talking, coming up, on pecan trees particularly, these trees typically start bearing about seven years after they're planted. And then they don't reach economic profitability until about 10 years. So that's what we're talking about. That's half a generation.
THE PRESIDENT: That's a long time.
SECRETARY PERDUE: These farmers - many percentages of pecan trees across the country, across the state down in southwest Georgia, were toppled. And those that weren't toppled, the nuts have blown off. So they were looking for bumper crop, the cotton, and pecans, and peanuts. And the devastation there is heartbreaking to hear and to (inaudible). And you'll talk to some farmers later today.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. Very good.
Please.
COMMISSIONER BLACK: Mr. President, thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER BLACK: God bless you. And thank you for being here. We lead the nation in peanut production, pecan production, forest product production. We're leaders in vegetable. So that's production. Today we're leading in destruction, unfortunately. We will lead in rebuilding.
THE PRESIDENT: No doubt about it.
COMMISSIONER BLACK: And it's - I had numbers from the intergovernmental relations from the White House. I had two telephone calls while the wind was still blowing. And I've had good fortune in the last year and a half or so to be in and out in places where folks who do the job I do never had the opportunity. The Governor - the Secretary used to say with Agriculture - when he was the governor, and when Governor Deal - is that we get to come into the front door. Oftentimes, it's been the backdoor. And it's certainly been - it's not been that way, and we're grateful to you.
And I promise you, we're going to continue to work. We do have an outstanding group of people for you to visit personally with this afternoon.
THE PRESIDENT: I look forward to that. I look forward to seeing some of the farmers. They're great people. And we will do it. And that is true: Jimmy Carter, peanut farmer, and a nice man. He is a nice man. Met him on numerous occasions. And if you think about it, that's what he did, right? Peanuts. So it's great.
Do you have any questions, please?
ADMINISTRATOR LONG: Mr. President, also the American Red Cross, a huge partner as well.
THE PRESIDENT: Good job. I heard - good job.
ADMINISTRATOR LONG: You know, it takes a whole community to overcome these types of disasters, and so it's not only neighbor helping neighbor all the way to federal government. But if it wasn't for the volunteer organizations active in disaster, these guys do a whole lot to help shelter - temporary shelter people. And that's what's going on here.
MEWBORN: And we couldn't do it without you, so thank you. We have great partnership.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. And power is coming back pretty quickly, right?
BOWERS: Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: I'm not surprised. I know your company well. I'm not surprised.
Any questions, please?
Q Mr. President, you just left Florida. Are you concerned that there is a possibility that up to 17 F-22 stealth bombers were damaged at Tyndall Air Force Base? Because they weren't taken -
THE PRESIDENT: No, I'm not hearing that. They were under repair. Many of the aircraft were flown out prior to the hurricane, but some of them can't because the engines are taken out and they're doing a lot of heavy repairing work. We're going to have a full report. There was some damage. Not nearly as bad as we first heard.
Q Are you concerned about how much that might cost, though?
THE PRESIDENT: I'm always concerned about cost. I don't like it. In fact, my first question is, "Why didn't they take them out?" That's because they were fixing.
You know, this hurricane happened very quickly. In fact, it was a storm. Nobody thought it was a big deal, and then all of a sudden, it started and then became a Category 4. It happened very quickly.
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Georgia Operations Center for the Red Cross • Macon, Georgia • October 15, 2018 • 4:37 P.M. EDT
GOVERNOR DEAL: Mr. President and First Lady, we are honored to have you both here in Georgia, and you're going to get a pretty good view, I think, of what the damage and the assessments that have taken place in our state.
We are fortunate that we did not get hit, in some respects, as nearly as hard as Florida did, but we had extensive damage, especially as it relates to our agricultural community. And you're going to have an opportunity to meet with some of those.
I want to commend you for your Secretaries. And we're, of course, pleased to have our own Secretary as a member of your Cabinet, former Governor Sonny Perdue. You know, between the two of us, we have been the chief executives in the state of Georgia for the last 16 years.
THE PRESIDENT: Right. It's true.
GOVERNOR DEAL: We are very pleased to have him, but we're also pleased to have so many contacts that have been made by the members of your Cabinet. They've done an exceptional job.
And, of course, we are glad to have your FEMA Director here, Brock Long. He and I have talked multiple times, and I have appreciated his involvement and concern about our state. And his people are doing a great job working with our locals. And that's an important thing, as you all know.
I'm going to turn it over to the Administrator right now, for his comments.
ADMINISTRATOR LONG: Thank you, Governor. I really appreciate the partnership. Not only has the Governor been a strong leader, but also Homer Bryson, the Director of Georgia Emergency Management, behind you.
This is all about partnership. Unfortunately, Georgia is no stranger to hurricanes. This is where I started my career. I married a Georgia girl, by the way, too. But the bottom line is, is there was a significant hit coming into southwest Georgia. Category 2 winds. As you can see, the swath is behind us, Mr. President, here. And not only do you see similar damage where trees are down on homes, and there was a tremendous hit to the communications and power infrastructure, but you're going to see generational losses to the agriculture industry as well. The timing of the storm is pretty tough, as Secretary Perdue would tell you.
But our focus is life sustainment, trying to do everything that we can to get access to all the areas to help get the infrastructure - the private sector partners and our power partners that are represented here with Georgia Power - trying to get them access to be able to fix the infrastructure to get the power back on. I believe it's up to about 90 percent back on where we are.
BOWERS: Sure is.
ADMINISTRATOR LONG: But we still have a ways to go. Cell communications is coming back online too. But now it's about taking care of people, sir, and making sure that we get them out of shelters and into longer-term housing for those that have lost their homes. Our staff is pushing forward in the field with disaster survivors. And we'll continue to register. We need people to register with 1-800-621-FEMA, or DisasterAssistance.gov in Georgia.
So I'll turn it back over to you, Mr. President.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much, Brock. I want to just commend you on the job you're doing. We just left Florida, and they are so thrilled with what's happened with our people, our talent. But they're not thrilled about this hurricane, because this was brutal. They haven't seen anything like it. And possibly, there's hasn't been anything like it. The winds are almost 200 miles an hour. Just wiped houses away. The foundations - everything gone. So we saw some areas that were hard to believe, actually. Actually hard to believe.
But the people are incredible in Florida, in Georgia, in Alabama. And, you know, North Carolina and South Carolina went through a lot two weeks ago, and they got a little bit of the remnants of this one too, on top of it. So, incredible people.
But I want to thank FEMA. First responders, the law enforcement has been so incredible. Secretary Nielsen, you worked so hard. I don't think - have you gone to sleep in the last two weeks? I don't think so. (Laughter.) But your whole team has been fantastic. And, Governor, I'd like to thank you on behalf of the country. What a job you've done in Georgia. And I have to say Rick Scott in Florida, likewise. The two of you have really done something.
And I just spoke to the great Governor of Alabama, and she is in there - she is in there fighting and also doing. We have terrific people running these states. And I want to thank you very much - really, very much.
And, Brock, please say compliments to everybody, from myself, the First Lady, Secretary Perdue - who used to be the Governor of Georgia, as we said. But you have been very special. You know more about agriculture than any human being that I've ever spoken to. (Laughter.) And he doesn't like it when the hurricanes wipe out the crops. They just wiped them out. That doesn't make you feel too good; we were talking about it. He doesn't like to see that. But Sonny Perdue has been an incredible Secretary of Agriculture.
And, Sonny, how about saying a little bit?
SECRETARY PERDUE: I want to reiterate what Governor Deal said, President. Your administration is making a reputation for being more connected to your state and local partners than any other administration I can ever remember. Commissioner Black, Governor, I've experienced this well - all the way from the local community leaders to state legislators to governors, the people you've appointed in your office are reaching out here, making people feel like we have truly one government. And that's - and that is wonderful to be a part of that. And I want to thank you for allowing us to do that. Because it makes a difference.
When people undergo situations like this - not even disasters, they're connected - but when they go through like this, they feel like they've got a lifeline to FEMA, to Secretary Nielsen, to any of your administration, and to you particularly. And we want to say - I'm glad to be a part of that. And we - Commissioner Black and I toured some of the ag area yesterday. There are tremendous losses, but our farmers are resilient. We're going to help them, you're going to help them, and they'll be okay.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, let me ask you this, Sonny and Commissioner: When Brock says "generational" damage, I don't like the sound of "generational" damage. What does that mean? And how long does that take to get back?
SECRETARY PERDUE: As we were talking, coming up, on pecan trees particularly, these trees typically start bearing about seven years after they're planted. And then they don't reach economic profitability until about 10 years. So that's what we're talking about. That's half a generation.
THE PRESIDENT: That's a long time.
SECRETARY PERDUE: These farmers - many percentages of pecan trees across the country, across the state down in southwest Georgia, were toppled. And those that weren't toppled, the nuts have blown off. So they were looking for bumper crop, the cotton, and pecans, and peanuts. And the devastation there is heartbreaking to hear and to (inaudible). And you'll talk to some farmers later today.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. Very good.
Please.
COMMISSIONER BLACK: Mr. President, thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
COMMISSIONER BLACK: God bless you. And thank you for being here. We lead the nation in peanut production, pecan production, forest product production. We're leaders in vegetable. So that's production. Today we're leading in destruction, unfortunately. We will lead in rebuilding.
THE PRESIDENT: No doubt about it.
COMMISSIONER BLACK: And it's - I had numbers from the intergovernmental relations from the White House. I had two telephone calls while the wind was still blowing. And I've had good fortune in the last year and a half or so to be in and out in places where folks who do the job I do never had the opportunity. The Governor - the Secretary used to say with Agriculture - when he was the governor, and when Governor Deal - is that we get to come into the front door. Oftentimes, it's been the backdoor. And it's certainly been - it's not been that way, and we're grateful to you.
And I promise you, we're going to continue to work. We do have an outstanding group of people for you to visit personally with this afternoon.
THE PRESIDENT: I look forward to that. I look forward to seeing some of the farmers. They're great people. And we will do it. And that is true: Jimmy Carter, peanut farmer, and a nice man. He is a nice man. Met him on numerous occasions. And if you think about it, that's what he did, right? Peanuts. So it's great.
Do you have any questions, please?
ADMINISTRATOR LONG: Mr. President, also the American Red Cross, a huge partner as well.
THE PRESIDENT: Good job. I heard - good job.
ADMINISTRATOR LONG: You know, it takes a whole community to overcome these types of disasters, and so it's not only neighbor helping neighbor all the way to federal government. But if it wasn't for the volunteer organizations active in disaster, these guys do a whole lot to help shelter - temporary shelter people. And that's what's going on here.
MEWBORN: And we couldn't do it without you, so thank you. We have great partnership.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. And power is coming back pretty quickly, right?
BOWERS: Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: I'm not surprised. I know your company well. I'm not surprised.
Any questions, please?
Q Mr. President, you just left Florida. Are you concerned that there is a possibility that up to 17 F-22 stealth bombers were damaged at Tyndall Air Force Base? Because they weren't taken -
THE PRESIDENT: No, I'm not hearing that. They were under repair. Many of the aircraft were flown out prior to the hurricane, but some of them can't because the engines are taken out and they're doing a lot of heavy repairing work. We're going to have a full report. There was some damage. Not nearly as bad as we first heard.
Q Are you concerned about how much that might cost, though?
THE PRESIDENT: I'm always concerned about cost. I don't like it. In fact, my first question is, "Why didn't they take them out?" That's because they were fixing.
You know, this hurricane happened very quickly. In fact, it was a storm. Nobody thought it was a big deal, and then all of a sudden, it started and then became a Category 4. It happened very quickly.
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