Questions about disaster relief will be at the forefront of President Donald Trump's first days back in office as he visits North Carolina on Friday, a state he said "has been abandoned by the Democrats" as it recovers from the floods caused by Hurricane Helene.

Then, as Republicans on Capitol Hill start to balance Trump's promises to assist in both states' reconstruction with conservatives' demands for budget cutbacks, he will visit California, where wildfires have devastated the Los Angeles region.

Trump will be traveling outside of Washington for the first time since his inauguration on Monday.

The president is attempting to make a clear contrast between Democratic leaders in California, whose handling of the wildfires he has frequently criticized, and former President Joe Biden, whose administration's handling of the flooding he called "so bad," by traveling to North Carolina, a swing state he has won three times.

In an interview with Fox News' Sean Hannity on Wednesday, Trump claimed that Democrats were using the Federal Emergency Management Agency "not to help" and that it was "getting in the way of everything" in North Carolina. He did not elaborate on how.

Because Democrats mistreated those people, Trump declared, "I'm stopping in North Carolina — first stop." They're still dealing with the effects of a hurricane that occurred months ago, so I'm stopping there to get it resolved.

In a letter to Democratic Governor Josh Stein on Sunday, a FEMA official stated that the agency is extending its transitional shelter assistance program until May 26. The agency estimates that 13,000 households in western North Carolina have utilized the program. Nonetheless, a few displaced individuals who talked to CNN expressed their uncertainty about their prospects and frustration over their inability to promptly receive information on the kind of aid they qualify for and when it expires.

A record amount of false information about the hurricane and the federal government's response spread in the immediate aftermath of the flooding. This included assertions that survivors were only eligible for $750 in assistance and that FEMA funds were being used for migrant services rather than recovery efforts. Trump emphasized a lot of those untrue statements.

Following his meeting with Republican leadership in the House and Senate on Tuesday, when he also discussed disaster help and how to finance it, he is now heading out on the road.

According to a person in the meeting, Trump talked extensively about how and if to finance the anticipated billions of dollars in relief efforts, as well as aid for California and the North Carolina catastrophes.

Republicans discuss funding for disaster aid.

However, Trump and legislative leaders will also need to find measures to offset the disaster relief expenditure, given that Republicans now control both chambers of Congress and conservatives are calling for spending to be cut.

According to the person in the room, several GOP officials emphasized during Tuesday's discussion that they must be "cognizant of how we pay for the bills."

According to the attendance, House Speaker Mike Johnson stated, "We have got to get our spending under control," about the upcoming Congress.

Trump and Johnson have both expressed disapproval of California's water management, and Johnson suggested that Congress may impose restrictions on the state's disaster assistance. Rep. Young Kim, who represents a competitive seat in Orange County, is among the Republicans who have retreated after winning close House races in California.

Kim stated on X on Thursday that "we cannot play politics with Americans' livelihoods." "We must provide additional federal assistance to first responders fighting wildfires if it is required."

As part of a reconciliation funding measure, Trump is trying to get a large portion of his agenda passed on Capitol Hill. On Tuesday, he told reporters that he thinks Democratic calls for fire assistance for the Los Angeles region will make passing that significant bill "simpler."

"They will require a significant amount of funding, and in general, I believe that many Democrats will be requesting assistance," Trump stated.

He asserted in the Hannity interview that Democrats "don't care" about North Carolina, even though they will apply for federal assistance for California.

The president also hinted at a larger discussion about the federal government's and FEMA's role in disaster management.

FEMA "is a whole 'nother discussion, because all it does is complicate everything," he added, adding that the agency "has not done their job for the last four years."

"It obstructs the process," Trump stated. "And I would prefer to see the states handle their own issues, so FEMA is going to be a huge topic of discussion very soon."

FEMA has been contacted by CNN on Trump's remarks.

Trump asked Schiff to visit LA, which was devastated by wildfires.

According to Schiff's office, Trump invited his longstanding opponent, California Democratic Sen. Adam Schiff, to join him on the California portion of his tour. According to a spokeswoman, the senator "greatly appreciates" the gesture but is unable to participate due to planned nomination votes.

Despite Trump's frequent criticism and condemnation of Democratic leaders' handling of the recovery efforts, the unexpected invitation to Schiff may be an indication of Trump and his team's attempts to make his trips to North Carolina and Los Angeles feel more presidential.

The objective, according to a Trump official who spoke to CNN, is to keep the president's attention on the impacted neighborhoods rather than on personal attacks, "even though they are justified."

Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, whose handling of the wildfires Trump has frequently criticized, is to meet Trump at the airport upon his arrival.

"We're making sure the president has all the resources he needs for a good briefing, and I'm excited to be there on the tarmac to welcome him and thank him. After a news briefing Thursday, where he signed two measures granting $2.5 billion for state recovery, Newsom stated, "There is no limit to the resources we'll provide for that briefing."