CNN’s Dana Bash and Lara Trump sparred over misinformation Donald Trump has spread about funding for disaster relief in North Carolina, with the anchor refusing to let the former president’s daughter-in-law get away with ducking her questions.
Bash laid into the Republican National Committee co-chair as she tried to change the direction from her father-in-law’s dubious claims that FEMA is only offering a few hundred dollars to Americans who have had their homes destroyed in Hurricane Helene.
“I wanna not let this get out there,” the host replied on Sunday’s edition of State of the Union.
“You are right that FEMA is giving $750 [to each family],” Bash said. “But that is a first step for immediate needs. It’s called serious needs assistance.”
Bash’s correction got under Lara Trump’s skin.
“They are out of money in terms of the hurricane relief,” Lara Trump said. “We have another hurricane heading towards Florida right now. But they have said that there is no money right now. Why don‘t they have anything in order?”
As Lara Trump again tried to deflect from the original line of questioning by saying most help was coming from local citizens, Bash stood firm.
“It is bad there. But my question is about the misinformation, particularly the notion that they are moving money to, you say, undocumented migrants, which FEMA says flatly is not true. If people are not getting correct information and then they can‘t go for assistance,” Bash said before an interruption from Trump.
“You have migrants being housed in luxury hotels in New York City,” Lara Trump said. “We have paid so much money from our tax dollars into the crisis. That didn‘t need to happen.”
“That’s a separate of money,” Bash retorted, visibly tired of having to correct her guest. “That has nothing to do with people in your home state right now.”
Bash has consistently defended herself against criticism over her interviewing style.
After an interview with Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, she said: “The fact that nobody in their entrenched camps was happy makes me think that I probably was in just about the right place.”
