Tornado-ravaged voters in MAGA stronghold reveal glaring problem with Trump's 'America First'

Daily Mail​

27-05-2025

MAGA voters in a tornado-ravaged pocket of Mississippi have turned on Donald Trump after he failed to help them for months after deadly twisters tore up their town.
Locals in rural Tylertown have said they have felt let down and abandoned by the current administration since the natural disaster caused carnage in March 2025.
A violent EF4 tornado - with a wind speed of 166 to 200mph - hit close to the community on March 15, killing five people.
Another tornado of EF3 intensity - with wind speeds between 136 and 165 mph - pummeled the area just 30 minutes later, killing another person.
The wider southern Mississippi area was ravaged by almost 20 tornadoes in total over a one-week period, damaging thousands of homes and businesses.
Several of the red-state residents said they haven't seen a single federal agent in the two months since, despite the widespread carnage.
'I know President Trump said that "America First, we're gonna help our American folks first," but we haven't seen the federal folks down here,' Tylertown resident Bobby McGinnis told PBS.
'I don't know what you got to do or what you got to have to be able to be declared for a federal disaster area because this is pretty bad,' said another Tylertown local, Brian Lowery.
'We can't help you because, whatever, we're waiting on a letter; we're waiting on somebody to sign his name. You know, all that. I'm just over it.'
Republican Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves applied for a federal disaster declaration from the government on April 1, but he has not received a response.
Governors for multiple other red states, including Arkansas and Missouri, have also appealed for federal funding in the wake of recent tornadoes and been rejected.
A federal disaster declaration allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to allocate more resources to help states and local governments cope with the aftermath of a major weather event.
Trump, 78, pledged to dismantle FEMA within his first weeks in the White House back in January.
He claimed the agency was partisan and failed to give adequate aid to Republican states, arguing that emergency relief would be better handled at a local level.
David Richardson took over as acting chief at FEMA after previous boss Cameron Hamilton was booted from the role a day after criticizing the president's plans to abolish the department.
Richardson promptly threatened to 'run right over' any staff in his department who resist Trump's agenda.
'Don't get in my way,' the former US marine told staffers, according to a recording of his speech obtained by CBS News.
'I don't need the full title I just need the authority from the president,' Richardson continued from behind a presidential-style podium.
'Obfuscation, delay, undermining. If you're one of those 20 percent of the people and you think those tactics and techniques are going to help you, they will not, because I will run right over you. I will achieve the president's intent.
'I, and I alone in FEMA, speak for FEMA,' Richardson said.