Reports coming out of Hurricane Helene’s destruction are heartbreaking: Businesses and homes demolished, entire communities almost obliterated, hundreds of lives lost, and hundreds of people missing.
However, this devastation and despair is not enough for extremist groups, disinformation agents, hucksters, and politicians who are using the tragedy to spread false claims and conspiracy theories about it and the government’s response.
Former President Donald Trump alleges that the federal government is intentionally withholding aid from Republican disaster victims. Far-right extremist groups on social media suggest that officials are planning to bulldoze affected areas and seize land from residents. A wild tale claims that Washington utilized weather control technology to steer Helene toward Republican voters to influence the presidential election in favor of Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.
These claims, as noted by experts and local officials managing disaster response, speak more to America’s fractured politics and the fear and distrust overshadowing an election year marked by assassination attempts and escalating global tensions.
Debunking conspiracy theories hampers recovery efforts
While rescue operations are ongoing and authorities work to separate truth from fiction, the proliferation of conspiracy theories is hindering rather than helping. Leaders from both political parties have had to clarify the facts and urge people not to succumb to fear and misinformation.
“If we could all set aside the animosity for a moment and come together to assist, that would be greatly appreciated,” wrote Glenn Jacobs, the retired professional wrestler Kane, who now serves as the Republican mayor of Knox County, Tennessee. Jacobs’ post aimed to debunk rumors about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) confiscating relief supplies from private individuals.
Many of the conspiracy theories revolve around hard-hit North Carolina, a crucial state for winning the presidency. Rumors spread that FEMA was raiding storm donations and withholding body bags, leading local hospitals to stack up victim bodies. One theory suggested federal authorities would condemn the entire town of Chimney Rock and ban resettlement to take control of a valuable lithium mine nearby.
False allegations of blocked relief flights and aid denied to Republicans
Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla, X, and SpaceX, claimed that private relief flights to North Carolina were being blocked by the Federal Aviation Administration, a statement refuted as false by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.
Despite the tradition of bipartisan cooperation in disaster response, numerous conspiracy theories suggest that Democrats such as President Joe Biden or North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper are deliberately withholding assistance from Republicans. Trump and North Carolina’s lieutenant governor, Mark Robinson, the embattled GOP nominee for governor, have propagated this claim.
“People in the Republican areas are being treated very unfairly,” Trump told Fox News, ignoring reports and evidence of ongoing recovery efforts in the region. “They’re not receiving any assistance, not even water.”
Conspiracy theorist Alex Jones supported Trump’s baseless accusation. Jones, the founder of InfoWars, previously promoted the idea that the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut, which claimed the lives of 20 children, was staged. “Exclusive: Victims of Hurricane Helene Confirm The Federal Government is Purposely Blocking Rescuers and Stealing Aid In an Attempt to Keep Deep Red Areas From Voting,” Jones posted on X last Thursday.
Disinformation campaigns by China and Russia amplify the misleading claims
State-controlled media and disinformation campaigns by China and Russia have amplified false and misleading narratives about the response to the storm. Both nations have used social media and state news outlets to critique responses to previous U.S. natural disasters, as part of a broader strategy to stoke division and distrust among Americans.
State and local officials from both parties have denounced the conspiracy theories as unfounded rumors, emphasizing the need to focus on recovery rather than political division and hearsay. North Carolina State Senator Kevin Corbin, a Republican, urged his constituents not to fall for hoaxes.
“Friends, can I ask for a small favor?” Corbin wrote on Facebook last Thursday. “Will you all help STOP this conspiracy theory junk that is floating all over Facebook and the internet… Please don’t let these crazy stories consume you.”
Following Robinson’s claim that state officials were unprepared for the storm, a spokesperson for the governor accused Robinson of launching “an online disinformation campaign.” North Carolina officials assert that the response to Helene is the most extensive in state history, involving thousands of National Guard members and other recovery workers, millions of meals, dozens of aircraft, and over 1,000 chainsaws.
Trump has attempted to link the hurricane aftermath to immigration, a key issue in his campaign. He falsely asserted that FEMA had exhausted its funds due to allocations for programs benefiting undocumented immigrants.
The agency’s funding for disaster aid is stretched due to the various regions grappling with the
