JUST IN: Trump Set To Visit Areas Affected By Hurricane Helene, Assist With Aid

Former President Donald Trump announced plans to travel to areas affected by Hurricane Helene, which devastated large parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee and several additional states.

"President Donald J. Trump, 45th President of the United States, will visit Valdosta, Georgia to receive a briefing  on the devastation of Hurricane Helene, facilitate the distribution of relief supplies, and deliver remarks to the press," the Trump Campaign announced in a press release.

Hurricane Helene has drawn comparisons to Hurricane Katrina after the storm caused widespread destruction across large swaths of the American South. The storm has caused significant damage far inland, with rural areas in North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Tennessee and Florida particularly hard hit.

As of Sunday morning, the North Carolina National Guard (NCNG) activated more than 500 soldiers and airmen and more than 200 vehicles and aircraft in order to assist with rescue operations. Across 16 air missions, officials have thus far rescued 119 people and 11 pets.

Asheville, North Carolina absorbed some of the most extensive storm damage from the Category Four storm. Large portions of the community and surrounding areas have been left underwater, while hundreds of buildings have been swept away or destroyed entirely by flooding.