President Donald Trump on Sunday activated the National Guard in tornado-struck Arkansas after tornadoes and heavy winds ripped through multiple states over the weekend, leaving at least 37 dead.

Heavy winds tore through the Heartland on Saturday, threatening Missouri, Mississippi, Kansas, Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma with tornadoes, damaging buildings and homes. Northern states, including South Dakota and Minnesota, faced blizzard warnings.

“We are actively monitoring the severe tornadoes and storms that have impacted many States across the South and Midwest — 36 innocent lives have been lost, and many more devastated,” Trump said in a Sunday post on X. 

“The National Guard have been deployed to Arkansas, and my Administration is ready to assist State and Local Officials, as they help their communities to try and recover from the damage. Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!” the president wrote.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she spoke on the phone with President Donald Trump following deadly tornadoes that tore through the state Saturday. (National Guard)

“It’s really disturbing for what happened to the people, the casualties last night,” Henderson told AP on Saturday.

Evacuations were ordered Friday for some areas in Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri and New Mexico.

Strong winds caused wildfires in the Southern Plains, and severe storms and tornadoes were also possible across eastern Louisiana, western Georgia, central Tennessee, western North Carolina and South Carolina, and the western Florida Panhandle.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.