Presidential visits to Asheville highlighted as Trump plans trip to WNC
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Donald J. Trump, the newly sworn-in 47th President of the United States, will visit Western North Carolina (WNC) on Jan. 24.
This visit to Asheville will mark Trump’s second appearance since Hurricane Helene impacted the region on Sep. 27, 2024.
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Trump had previously visited WNC in October 2024, shortly after Hurricane Helene affected Asheville and its surrounding areas. During that visit, the president evaluated the damages and addressed recovery efforts in Swannanoa.
Reports indicated that Trump announced an impressive $8 million raised for recovery efforts, with $7 million earmarked for various charities. He encouraged suggestions for additional charities to support the ongoing relief.
“To everyone here in North Carolina, we love you,” Trump stated. “Together we’ll pull it through. We bless you, and God bless you, and God bless America.”
Numerous presidential visits to the Asheville area have highlighted tours of the Biltmore Estate, a regional icon that has attracted visitors for 130 years.
According to Biltmore’s publication, The Presence of a President, the first recorded presidential visit to WNC occurred in 1897 when William McKinley Jr., the 25th president of the United States, toured the Biltmore grounds. Shortly thereafter, in 1902, President Theodore Roosevelt also visited the estate.
Other notable presidential visits include the late Former President Jimmy Carter, who passed on Dec. 29. Carter and his late wife, Rosalynn, had significant ties to the WNC area, even honeymooning in Chimney Rock in 1946.
On a separate visit to WNC, Carter attended a fundraising event at the Biltmore House, hosted at the Deerpark Pavilion, where he addressed a crowd of approximately 300 attendees.
Former President George H.W. Bush also has a special connection to Asheville. During his 1992 visit, he and his wife, Barbara, traveled to Asheville to meet resident Roy Harris, after Harris had invited the Bush family to his home following a White House visit. Harris fondly recalled Bush as “a very cordial gentleman” who lacked pretentiousness. After Barbara Bush’s passing in 2018, Harris remarked that the nation had lost “one of the finest first ladies there ever was.”
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In recent years, former President Obama and his wife, Michelle, visited Asheville in early 2010, making sure to tour the estate before departing the WNC region. Furthermore, Obama made an additional trip to Asheville in 2011 as part of the American Jobs Act Bus Tour.
According to archives from the Obama White House, he arrived at the Asheville Regional Airport and was greeted by then-mayor Terry Bellamy. During this visit, he delivered remarks on the American Jobs Act, which aimed to provide tax relief for American workers and businesses, create employment opportunities, and modernize infrastructure.
From assessing recovery efforts after natural disasters to engaging with local communities, these visits highlight the essential connection between the presidency and the American people. As WNC prepares for another presidential visit amidst ongoing recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene, it serves as a testament to the resilience of the region and its residents.
