Republicans accused of politicising hurricane damage as Florida braces for impact
Republicans have been accused of politicising the destructive and deadly Hurricane Helene by members of their own party. Photo: Getty
The destruction from a recent hurricane that decimated key swing states is becoming a political brawl within the Republican Party, as conspiracies and lies threaten to hamper disaster recovery.
Hurricane Helene tore through America just two weeks ago, leaving a trail of destruction and death across the Southeastern United States, including Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas and the Midwest.
The United States government deployed the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in impacted areas to support victims and aid in recovery after Helene caused more than 200 deaths and $40 billion in damage.
Donald Trump and his allies have used the disaster to falsely accuse Joe Biden’s government of abandoning those impacted and using funding on migrants rather than United States citizens.
US Vice President Kamala Harris alongside FEMA officials in Georgia. Photo: Getty
Fox News fact-checked Trump live when he claimed that Kamala Harris was fundraising instead of visiting North Carolina and had only offered victims $750.
Fox News host Laura Ingraham, a staunch Republican supporter, said that Harris had visited impacted areas that day and the funds were for immediate needs and just the first step of a longer process to provide financial assistance.
Politicised disaster
Deanne Criswell, FEMA’s administrator, hit back at those attempting to politicise the disaster, calling the conspiracy theories “the worst I have ever seen”.
“It’s just really unfortunate that [people] continue to try to create this level of fear in these communities that are impeding our ability to do our job at the level that we need to do it, but we’re not going to let it deter us,” she said.
“We are going to continue to be in these communities and support them for whatever they need.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his team have also bragged about ignoring phone calls from Vice President Harris after Hurricane Helene, another category five (and one of the strongest recorded) hurricane threatens his state.
Elon Musk, now a key funder and ally of Trump, helped amplify the lies and falsehoods on X by claiming that FEMA had “actively blocked” donations to victims.
“They are literally using YOUR tax dollars to import voters and disenfranchise you!” Musk wrote on X.
“FEMA used up its budget ferrying illegals into the country instead of saving American lives. Treason.”
Republican representatives from impacted areas have called for an end to the falsehoods that are impacting recovery.
Mitt Romney, the former senator for Utah and the Republican’s 2012 presidential candidate, accused Trump, China and Russia of spreading disinformation surrounding the hurricane.
“Trump is spreading false claims about where FEMA emergency money is being used,” Romney said.
“I mean, he just makes it up. He is able to spew enough disinformation that the Chinese must be smiling.”
Coming storm
Florida is currently bracing for Hurricane Milton to make landfall, but — rather than accept decades of warnings from scientists about the impact of climate change on extreme weather — far-right figures have spread an even more outlandish explanation: The Democrats are controlling the weather.
Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican congresswoman and close ally of Donald Trump, helped spread the outlandish conspiracy theory online.
State congressman Chuck Edwards, a Republican, released a statement decrying falsehoods spread by his own party.
“Hurricane Helene was NOT geoengineered by the government to seize and access lithium deposits in Chimney Rock,” he said.
“I encourage you to remember that everything you see on Facebook, X, or any other social media platform is not always fact. Please make sure you are fact-checking what you read online with a reputable source.”