Whether or not children should have to pay for the blunders of their parents remains a matter for debate, but Ivanka Trump has just learned what the cost might be.
The US president’s daughter/adviser has announced a trip to Alabama, where she will visit a tech park on Tuesday. Jokes immediately started pouring in.
I look forward to visiting Alabama on Tuesday! 🇺🇸 https://t.co/RlHTCOv4JK
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) September 9, 2019
Some users sarcastically inquired whether the First Daughter would be “surveying the hurricane damage” there, while others suggested she was a natural disaster herself.
Will you be surveying the hurricane damage there?
— Frank Figliuzzi (@FrankFigliuzzi1) September 9, 2019
Two natural disasters in one week?
— John Pavlovitz (@johnpavlovitz) September 9, 2019
Give these poor people a break.
Wear something nice! pic.twitter.com/JOG2i0bGCG
— Billy D Resist 45* Never Again is Right Now (@EugJHawk) September 9, 2019
Aren't they expecting an unpresidented Cat 5 Hurricane?!
— Dollface Jones (@Dolface6) September 9, 2019
Please do survey the hurricane destruction and don't forget the paper towels...
— Angela Belcamino (@AngelaBelcamino) September 9, 2019
Donald Trump tweeted on 1 September that Alabama was among the states that will most likely be hit by Hurricane Dorian, a devastating tropical storm.
In addition to Florida - South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama, will most likely be hit (much) harder than anticipated. Looking like one of the largest hurricanes ever. Already category 5. BE CAREFUL! GOD BLESS EVERYONE!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 1, 2019
The National Weather Service (NWS) was quick to debunk his forecast, stating that Alabama would not see Dorian’s wrath: “No impacts from Hurricane #Dorian will be felt across Alabama. The system will remain too far east.”
Alabama will NOT see any impacts from #Dorian. We repeat, no impacts from Hurricane #Dorian will be felt across Alabama. The system will remain too far east. #alwx
— NWS Birmingham (@NWSBirmingham) September 1, 2019
An ABC reporter fact-checked Trump’s warning the following day, leaving POTUS furious. Trump still stood by his comments, insisting that Alabama could have seen some damage “under certain original scenarios”.
....when in fact, under certain original scenarios, it was in fact correct that Alabama could have received some “hurt.” Always good to be prepared! But the Fake News is only interested in demeaning and belittling. Didn’t play my whole sentence or statement. Bad people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 2, 2019
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration – the federal scientific agency that incorporates the NWS – defended Trump last Friday, saying that information provided to the president demonstrated that the winds from Hurricane Dorian could impact Alabama.
A spokesperson for the agency added: “The Birmingham National Weather Service’s Sunday morning tweet spoke in absolute terms that were inconsistent with probabilities from the best forecast products available at the time.”
Hurricane Dorian walloped the Virgin Islands and devastated the Bahamas, before going up the US east coast; it only brushed North Carolina and then battered Canada’s Atlantic coast over the weekend. Alabama was spared a hit.
