Trump Faces Criticism for 'Water Cane' Remark on Hurricane Helene

During a campaign rally in North Carolina on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump referred to Hurricane Helene as a “water cane,” sparking widespread criticism online. Trump claimed the storm “threw out more water than” any hurricane in history.

Trump also criticized North Carolina’s then-Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, for his handling of the storm, stating the state was “dying” as a result. Cooper is currently the Democratic nominee for the Senate, and Trump was in North Carolina to support Republican candidates.

This is not the first time Trump has made unusual remarks about hurricanes. In 2017, during a visit to Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, he threw rolls of paper towels to survivors. In 2018, he described Hurricane Florence as “one of the wettest we’ve ever seen from the standpoint of water.” The following year, Trump controversially used a marker to alter a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) map to suggest Hurricane Dorian would impact Alabama, a forecast that had not predicted.

In 2025, Trump had expressed a desire to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), calling it “very, very expensive and it doesn’t get the job done.” He suggested that state and local governments should take on a more significant role in disaster preparedness rather than relying on federal funding.

Critics on social media platform X derided Trump’s “water cane” comment, with some users questioning his understanding of weather events and disaster response. One user commented, “Many die because of hurricanes, and now you are turning it over to states. Quit the joking and get real.” Another user observed the reactions of those standing behind Trump, suggesting they appeared uncertain. The comments reflected broader concerns about Trump’s past responses to natural disasters and his proposed approach to federal disaster aid.