Trump holds call with Hawaii governor over hurricane response

by Jesse Byrnes - 08/24/18 6:43 PM ET

President Trump on Friday held a call with Hawaii Gov. David Ige (D) to offer support for island residents as Hurricane Lane lashed Hawaii with intense rain.

Trump and Ige discussed preparedness and emergency response measures for the Category 2 storm, the White House said in a statement Friday evening.

“The president reiterated that the Federal Government is fully committed to helping the State in the response and recovery efforts related to Hurricane Lane,” the statement added.

{mosads}Trump had declared a state of emergency for Hawaii on Wednesday as the island chain braced for the hurricane, which approached the state as a Category 5 storm.

The declaration provided federal assistance and aid to state and local agencies that are responding to the storm.

Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz (D) on Friday praised the administration’s response to the storm, calling government agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Defense, Federal Communications Commission and Department of Transportation “sharp and aggressive” in their work.

“Big mahalo to first responders across Hawai`i, from Maui County firefighters in west Maui to emergency crews in Hilo. They are working hard and taking real risks while leaving their own families at home,” Schatz wrote on Twitter.

The National Weather Service said Friday that the hurricane was beginning to weaken as it moved north and toward the islands of Maui and Oahu. Officials in Maui had been battling a pair of brush fires ahead of the approaching storm.

Tags Brian Schatz Donald Trump