Fact-check: Republicans claim Cooper was in New York when Helene hit North Carolina – WRAL

Fact-check: Republicans claim Cooper was in New York when Helene hit North Carolina  WRAL

“Where was Roy Cooper when Helene slammed into North Carolina? In New York speaking at a New York Times ‘Climate Forward’ event,” President Donald Trump’s campaign account said in a Sept. 21 X post. Critics of former North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper falsely claim that he was miles away from the Tar Heel State when Hurricane Helene made landfall two years ago. Cooper is the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Thom Tillis, R-NC, who’s not seeking reelection. Cooper faces Republican Michael Whatley, Libertarian Shannon Bray and Green Party candidate Michael Dublin for the seat. Cooper served as governor from 2017 through the end of 2024 and led the state’s initial response to Hurricane Helene, which caused an estimated $60 billion in damage in North Carolina in September 2024.

Now, with Cooper now running for U.S. Senate, critics are resurrecting a claim that PolitiFact debunked in 2024. “This Saturday marks two years since Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina and nearby Southern states. Where was Roy Cooper when Helene slammed into North Carolina? In New York speaking at a New York Times ‘Climate Forward’ event,” President Donald Trump’s campaign account said in a Sept. 21 X post. Trump’s X account repeated the claim in a Sept. 26 post. The National Republican Senatorial Committee, a GOP political