While the Southeast is drowning under the wrath of Hurricane Helene, guess where President Joe Biden decided to spend his weekend? Relaxing on a sunny Delaware beach. Yes, you read that right. While communities in North Carolina and Tennessee battled deadly floods and devastating damage, our Commander-in-Chief was catching some rays. Nothing says leadership like sipping lemonade while people are literally underwater.

Hurricane Helene, a Category 4 storm, ripped through the Big Bend of Florida on Thursday, unleashing catastrophic destruction throughout the southeastern United States. By Sunday, the death toll had already climbed into the dozens, with many more expected as the floodwaters continued to wreak havoc. And yet, Biden’s priorities had him heading off to Rehoboth Beach for a little R&R. Sure, the Middle East is heating up, so he cut his beach vacation short by a day, but it’s the optics, people. Thousands of Americans are suffering, and the president’s off building sandcastles.

Take the case of Asheville, North Carolina. This city has been practically cut off from the rest of the world. Roads are underwater, power is out, and communication is a mess. Ryan Cole, the assistant director for emergency services in Buncombe County, didn’t hold back when describing the devastation, calling it nothing short of “Biblical.” And that’s not hyperbole. The flooding is so severe that it’s breaking records, collapsing infrastructure, and isolating entire communities.

Local officials are scrambling to get emergency supplies airlifted in. The images coming out of the region are gut-wrenching—destroyed homes, collapsed bridges, and towns underwater. Avril Pinder, the Buncombe County Manager, said this is the “most significant natural disaster” the community has ever seen. But does the president feel the urgency to see the destruction firsthand? Apparently not.

Over in Georgia, it’s even worse. Seventeen people have already been reported dead, including children. And Tennessee? They’re bracing for even more casualties, with at least half a dozen still missing. Floods swept through quiet mountain communities, wiping out homes and putting the Nolichucky River dam on the verge of collapse. Water levels reached eight feet above record elevation. That’s not just a rainstorm; that’s a catastrophe. But while the media was busy covering the rising death tolls, the president was busy lounging on the beach. Classic.

Let’s not forget that this is the deadliest tropical cyclone South Carolina has seen since 1989 when Hurricane Hugo claimed 35 lives. As of now, Hurricane Helene has taken 25 lives in South Carolina alone, and yet Biden can’t seem to find time in his schedule to visit. Oh sure, he offered a statement calling the devastation “overwhelming” and said he’d be sending help. But apparently, sending 1,500 federal workers is all the effort he’s willing to put into it.

Vice President Kamala Harris chimed in, too, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), saying they’re “working with local leaders” and deploying search and rescue teams. Great, that’s fine and all, but when are they going to show up in person? You know, like leaders are supposed to during a disaster? When millions of people are without power, when communities are destroyed, and when families are mourning their dead, the least you could do is show up. But no, not a single mention of visiting the South from either of them.

Now, I know what you’re thinking—presidents can’t be everywhere at once. Sure, but that’s not the point. It’s about leadership. It’s about showing the American people that you care. Instead of lounging on the beach, maybe he could have postponed his trip and given the people of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Georgia a little more than empty words. Leadership is about standing with your country in its darkest hours, not about hitting the beach while others are left to fend for themselves.

So here we are, with millions still struggling to recover, and all we’ve gotten from Biden is a promise of help from afar. Meanwhile, entire towns remain without power, families are displaced, and the death toll continues to rise. But don’t worry, folks, because the president had a great time at the beach.

This is the leadership we’ve come to expect. When the going gets tough, the tough get… a tan, apparently. At this point, it’s clear: we’re on our own. If the president can’t be bothered to care, we’ll have to take care of each other. Because, trust me, Biden’s suntan isn’t going to fix the devastation that Hurricane Helene left in its wake.