Trump to visit North Carolina on Wednesday in aftermath of Florence

President Trump will visit North Carolina on Wednesday to view areas affected by Hurricane Florence, the White House confirmed Tuesday.

Press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the White House will release additional details as they are available.

CNN reported that Trump will additionally visit Myrtle Beach in South Carolina. Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) are expected to join the president.

{mosads}More than 30 people have died from Florence, which has been downgraded to a tropical depression since it made landfall last Friday. The storm has dumped huge amounts of rain on North Carolina and parts of South Carolina in recent days, leading to severe flooding.

Hundreds of thousands of residents in the Carolinas are without power, and parts of Virginia have experienced heavy rainfall as well.

Trump has been unflinchingly positive about his administration’s response to the storm, repeatedly praising the Federal Emergency Management Agency and first responders for their work thus far.

Trump assured last week that the government was “absolutely and totally prepared” to respond to Florence. He declared a state of emergency in North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia ahead of the storm to free up additional resources.

On Tuesday, the president lobbed an unprompted attack on Democrats, claiming they will “lie” and criticize his administration’s response to Florence regardless of its success.

The president has faced criticism for his handling of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico last year, which he has insisted was an “unsung, incredible success” despite nearly 3,000 people dying in the six months after the storm.