Trump very reassuringly calls Hurricane Michael a 'massive tornado'
President Trump is still getting the hang of being the nation's comforter-in-chief.
Trump gave some not-so-reassuring comments shortly before Hurricane Michael made landfall in Florida on Wednesday. CNN reports that Trump was asked by the press to send a message to those in the storm's path.
"I say God bless you all," said Trump. "That's my message because that's what it is. The storm is there. It's sort of too late to do that now, from the standpoint of moving."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
So there you have it: It is what it is. Or is it? Trump also reportedly called the storm a "massive tornado," which is a completely different kind of storm. The president was similarly comforting last month, when he said Hurricane Florence was poised to be "tremendously big and tremendously wet." The federal government helped in that case, he said, "because we have no choice."
FEMA Director Brock Long on Wednesday said that it's now too late for Floridians to evacuate before the worst of Michael hits. Trump expressed sadness that not everyone had left in time. "You have people that are stuck," he said, "they're just stuck there." But not to worry, he concluded on a more positive note: "They will be okay. They are strong, smart, wonderful people."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
The UK’s best Christmas pantosThe Week Recommends Dive into the festive cheer, even into the new year, with some traditional favourites and modern twists
-
The longevity economy is booming as people live longerThe Explainer The sector is projected to reach $27 trillion by 2030
-
Codeword: December 11, 2025The daily codeword puzzle from The Week
-
Judge orders release of Ghislaine Maxwell recordsSpeed Read The grand jury records from the 2019 prosecution of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein will be made public
-
Miami elects first Democratic mayor in 28 yearsSpeed Read Eileen Higgins, Miami’s first woman mayor, focused on affordability and Trump’s immigration crackdown in her campaign
-
Ex-FBI agents sue Patel over protest firingspeed read The former FBI agents were fired for kneeling during a 2020 racial justice protest for ‘apolitical tactical reasons’
-
Trump unveils $12B bailout for tariff-hit farmersSpeed Read The president continues to insist that his tariff policy is working
-
Trump’s Comey case dealt new setbackspeed read A federal judge ruled that key evidence could not be used in an effort to reindict former FBI Director James Comey
-
Moscow cheers Trump’s new ‘America First’ strategyspeed read The president’s national security strategy seeks ‘strategic stability’ with Russia
-
Trump tightens restrictions for work visasSpeed Read The length of work permits for asylum seekers and refugees has been shortened from five years to 18 months
-
Supreme Court revives Texas GOP gerrymanderSpeed Read Texas Republicans can use the congressional map they approved in August at President Donald Trump’s behest
