Karine Jean-Pierre leaves briefing after Doocy questions Lebanon funding during hurricane season

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Karine Jean-Pierre on funding for disaster help: 'We take this very seriously'

Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy grills the press secretary about the Biden-Harris administration's response to Hurricane Helene and what it says about its 'values.'

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre got into a heated exchange with Fox News Channel's Peter Doocy over the White House sending aid to Lebanon during the hurricane season, which has had devastating effects on North Carolina. 

Harris pledged Saturday to send $157 million of "additional assistance" to Lebanon while Israel attacks Hezbollah infrastructure and targets in the country. Harris argued the country was "facing an increasingly dire humanitarian situation." 

Doocy asked Jean-Pierre Monday about the Biden administration asking Congress for approval to fund Small Business Association disaster loans to help areas hit by Hurricane Helene, but not to send funds to a foreign country. 

"On this issue of funding, the administration has money to send to Lebanon without Congress coming back. But Congress does have to come back to approve money to send to people in North Carolina. Do I have that right?" Doocy said. 

"The president and the vice president has had a robust whole-of-government response to this… More than $200 million …for the disaster help," Jean-Pierre responded, adding that "people want to do disinformation, misinformation, which is dangerous because then when folks on the ground hear that, they may not want to ask for the help that they need that is there for them."

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Karine Jean-Pierre gets into heated exchange with Fox News' Peter Doocy Monday.  (Fox News Digital)

"But President Biden is fond of saying, ‘show me your budget and I will tell you what you value,’" Doocy said. "If he's got money for people in Lebanon right now without Congress having to come back, what does it say about his values? There's not enough money right now for people in North Carolina who need it. That's not misinformation."

"Your whole premise of the question is misinformation, sir," Jean-Pierre responded, as the two engaged in a heated back and forth.

Doocy asked whether the president's letter to Congress saying there's not enough money for SBA disaster loans was misinformation. 

"No. The way you're asking me the question is misinformation. There is money that we are allocating to the impacted areas, and there's money there to help people who truly need it. There are survivors who need the funding, who need the funding. And it's there," she said. 

"You can't call a question you don't like misinformation," Doocy said. 

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"No, what you're asking me is why Congress needs to come back and do their job. That's what you're asking me. Congress needs to come back and do their job and provide extra assistance, extra funding for the disaster relief fund. That's what Congress needs to do," she responded. "You may not want that, but that's okay. That's what this president wants, and that's what the vice president wants." 

Jean-Pierre then stormed out of the briefing room. 

The administration has been accused of mismanaging funds after Homeland Security's Alejandro Mayorkas said Wednesday "FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season." 

Workers, community members, and business owners clean up debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Marshall, North Carolina on Monday, Sept. 30, 2024. (Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images)

Critics on social media were quick to slam Harris for touting the foreign aid to Lebanon, arguing that many North Carolina residents are struggling to recover from Hurricane Helene. 

"Kamala is touting giving money to the people of Lebanon-while stiff-arming the humanitarian crisis in North Carolina," Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said on X. "This is Kamala’s Katrina."

"Could this be any more tone deaf? We have Americans suffering and in danger right now after the hurricane and this is what Kamala has to announce. America First!" Rep. Nick Langworthy, R-N.Y., said on X.

The controversial tweet comes as the Biden administration has continued to face backlash for its handling of Helene, with former President Trump calling the federal response to the disaster the "most incompetently managed ‘storm,’ at the federal level, ever seen before."

This is a developing story…

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Fox News' Michael Lee contributed to this report.