Whacko former University of Kentucky staffer said Hurricane Helene was ‘act of God’ to punish Trump supporters

An unhinged former staff member at the University of Kentucky floated the idea that the death and destruction Hurricane Helene unleashed on red states was divine retribution for their residents’ support of former President Trump.

“Hurricane Helene…what if GOD is punishing MAGA populations for their hate and hypocrisy? Works for me!” Betsy Packard wrote Sunday in a heartless post on X punctuated with a winking emoji.

Betsy Packard, a former University of Kentucky staffer, came under fire after a series of heartless X posts appearing to mock the victims of Hurricane Helene. Facebook / Betsy Packard

Helene made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region as a Category 4 storm. Its 140 mph winds carved a path of devastation from Georgia to Virginia, killing more than 100 in the South.

Packard then exchanged barbs with dozens of commenters who lambasted her for her posting, doubling and tripling down in the process. X / @BetsyPackardPo1
Packard wrote on X that the storm’s devastation was an act of divine retribution in which God punished supporters of former President Trump. X / @BetsyPackardPo1

She then doubled and tripled down on the hateful rhetoric, directly responding to X users who challenged her.

At least 100 have been confirmed dead in the devastating hurricane, with many fearful the toll could rise dramatically. REUTERS

“You got hit with an Act of God. Looks like God’s pissed off at you,” she wrote in response to a poster bemoaning the small size of the National Guard deployment following the storm.

“An Act of God hammered you, and you still din’t [sic] hear Him? God is obviously mighty pissed at MAGAs. How can you not see this?” she mockingly asked another user.

Officials said at an emergency meeting Sunday that more than 1,000 residents of Buncombe County, North Carolina remain unaccounted for as emergency responders scramble to locate them. Authorities have confirmed the deaths of at least 30 individuals in the county so far.

The fierce storm carved a path of devastation from Florida to Virginia, causing billions in damage. REUTERS

Jay Blanton, a University of Kentucky spokesperson, told The Post that Packard is “not an employee” of the university despite her stated affiliation on social media, and disavowed her repugnant words in no uncertain terms.

“We were just made aware of this post. We have reported it to the appropriate offices on campus that review questions around conduct,” Blanton said in an email.

“Such statements are abhorrent and do not reflect our values as an institution. Our thoughts and concerns are with those impacted by these devastating storms. As an institution, we have many members of our community directly impacted by them and are working with them to provide support and resources at this time.”

Packard continued posting and replying to dozens of critics well into Monday afternoon, playing the victim and eventually backpedaling her initial post claiming she doesn’t personally believe the storm was divine punishment.

“I erred in thinking Americans could read. I said WHAT IF,” she wrote.

“DO I BELIEVE THIS? No. Did I say I believe it? Nope. But some fools DO believe it.”

But X users weren’t buying it, and continued lambasting the self-described “feminist revisionism” poet after she claims she was being “targeted by MAGA stupidity” in response to her post.

“Strange your profile shows Jesus and yet you’re acting the furthest thing from anything christ-like! I pray for your soul,” wrote one user.

“You’re being targeted because you are behaving like a demon,” wrote another.

Packard’s name and image previously appeared on the UK College of Arts and Sciences website identifying her as an MFA candidate and graduate instructor, complete with an official uky.edu email address. The page has since been taken down.