President Donald Trump appeared to tie federal disaster aid for North Carolina to the outcome of the state’s upcoming Senate election Wednesday, Sept. 16, before quickly telling the crowd he was “only kidding.”
Speaking at a campaign rally in Gastonia, Trump, 80, boosted Republican Senate nominee Michael Whatley, who is running against former Democratic Governor Roy Cooper in November.
During the address, Trump praised Whatley for his role in the state’s recovery from Hurricane Helene, which struck North Carolina in 2024 and killed 107 people while damaging or destroying more than 125,000 homes.
Trump told the crowd that his administration had spent more than $2 billion in Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) funding following the storm.
“And you know, you’re waiting for some additional money to take care of the back, and I’m gonna get that to you, Michael,” Trump said.
President Donald Trump during a campaign event with Michael Whatley in North Carolina on Sept. 16, 2026.
Grant Baldwin/Bloomberg via Getty
He then added: “Now if Michael loses, I’m not sending it, okay?”
Trump paused before following up with a clarification: “No, I’m only kidding. You’re gonna get it, Michael.”
The comments came as Trump campaigned heavily for Whatley, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee. Throughout the rally, Trump attacked Democrats and promoted Whatley as a candidate who would take a tougher approach to crime and the economy.
The disaster-aid comments also came amid scrutiny of the Trump administration’s handling of federal assistance.
In July, Trump rejected $227 million in disaster-aid requests from four Democratic-led states, according to Politico. The administration had also faced scrutiny over threats to withhold federal funding from states over election-related policies.
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Trump’s North Carolina remarks were just one part of a rally focused heavily on the November elections. He also repeated his pledge to provide every U.S. adult with $5,000 if Republicans retain control of Congress.
The comment quickly became one of the most notable moments of the rally, drawing attention away from Trump’s broader campaign message and back to the federal aid still expected by communities recovering from Hurricane Helene.
