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Armed Militia 'Hunting FEMA' Causes Hurricane Responders to Evacuate
by Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
Newsweek
Published Oct 14, 2024 at 4:40 AM EDT
Updated Oct 15, 2024 at 9:36 AM EDT

Biden Rebukes Trump Over Hurricane Misinformation: 'Get A Life, Man'

[Reporter] Have you spoken to former President Trump at all?

[President Biden] Are you kidding me? Mr. President Trump, Former President Trump -- Get a life man! Help these people!

[Reporter] Will you hold him accountable? You said you were going to hold those accountable ...

[President Biden] The public will hold him accountable. You better, in the Press, hold him accountable, because you know the truth.

[Reporter] Will you plan to speak with former President Trump?

[President Biden] No!

Federal emergency response workers operating in North Carolina's Rutherford County in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene were told to evacuate on Saturday over concerns that an "armed militia" was threatening workers in the area.

An official with the U.S. Forest Service, which is supporting recovery efforts along with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), sent a message to numerous federal agencies at around 1 p.m. on Saturday warning that FEMA had advised all federal responders in Rutherford County to "stand down and evacuate the county immediately," The Washington Post reported.

National Guard troops had come across two trucks of "armed militia saying they were out hunting FEMA," the email said. "The IMTs [incident management teams] have been notified and are coordinating the evacuation of all assigned personnel in that county."

A FEMA spokesperson confirmed to Newsweek on Monday that the agency had made changes to its recovery efforts to ensure the safety of staff and survivors. Disaster survivor assistance teams worked temporarily at fixed locations and secure areas, and no longer went door to door out of an abundance of caution.


Emergency personnel in Lake Lure, North Carolina, last month. Workers in Rutherford Country were told to evacuate last week over safety concerns. Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images

"For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments," the spokesperson said. "Disaster Recovery Centers will continue to be open as scheduled, survivors continue to register for assistance, and we continue to help the people of North Carolina with their recovery."

FEMA confirmed later on Monday that it would resume normal operations as the threat was considered less serious than first thought, according to CBS News.

However, it comes as a North Carolina man who allegedly threatened to harm FEMA workers was arrested on Saturday, authorities said.

William Jacob Parsons, 44, was charged with "going armed to the terror of the public," Rutherford County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Monday. He has been released on bail and denies making threats towards aid workers.

The sheriff's office said it received a call just before 1 p.m. on Saturday about a man with an assault rifle who made a comment "about possibly harming" FEMA relief workers in the hard-hit areas of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock.

A Facebook profile, believed to belong to Parsons, features multiple posts about COVID-19 and conspiracy theories about vaccines and voting systems. Some posts also include the logo of the "Three Percenters," an anti-government militia group, the BBC reported.

Parsons told the BBC he was "supporting the victims and helping with loading and unloading of water, food, clothing and other necessities for the victims of the horrendous storm." He couldn't immediately be reached for further comment.

The incidents demonstrate the growing concerns about the safety of government workers in North Carolina, parts of which were devastated after Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida on September 26. Helene killed at least 230 people as it moved north, leaving a trail of destruction across six states.

Since then, misinformation and rumors about the response from FEMA and other federal agencies have been rampant.

Some on social media called for FEMA to be targeted after a rumor that the devastated town of Chimney Rock was going to be seized and bulldozed by the government circulated online, despite local authorities and news outlets debunking the claim.

FEMA has also been accused by former president Donald Trump and other Republicans of not being able to respond well enough to Helene because it had diverted disaster relief funds to help migrants. That is not true, because while FEMA administers the Shelter and Services Program, funding for it comes from a separate pot of money funded by Congress for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Other false claims that have circulated include that people taking federal relief money could see their land seized or that $750 is the most they will ever get to rebuild. FEMA has pushed back against the false claims and conspiracy theories, setting up a page on its website to combat misinformation and rumors.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said earlier this month that the false claims were hurting morale among workers as she urged people in hard-hit areas to accept the government's offer for assistance.

"We have thousands of people on the ground, not just federal, but also our volunteers in the private sector," Criswell said at a news conference in Asheville on October 7. "And frankly, that type of rhetoric is demoralizing to our staff that have left their families to come here and help the people of North Carolina. And we will be here as long as they're needed."

North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper's office also told Newsweek: "FEMA along with other state, federal and local response workers are working around the clock to bring assistance to western North Carolina. We are aware of significant misinformation online and reports of threats to response workers on the ground and the safety of responders must be taken seriously.

"The Governor has directed the Department of Public Safety to identify with local law enforcement the specific threats and rumors and coordinate with FEMA and other partners to ensure safety and security as this recovery effort continues."

Trump spreads false claims on federal hurricane response
by Kristen Welker
Meet The Press NOW | NBC News NOW
Oct 4, 2024

Former President Donald Trump joins Gov. Brian Kemp (R-Ga.) at a briefing on the response to Hurricane Helene in Georgia Friday afternoon, following false claims he made that the federal government is not helping affected areas and that FEMA had used funds designated for disaster relief for other purposes.

Transcript

[KRISTEN WELKER] > WELCOME TO "MEET THE PRESS NOW", WITH JUST 32 DAYS UNTIL THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP IS IN BATTLEGROUND GEORGIA NOW AS THE STATE AND REGION RECOVERS FROM THE DEVASTATION OF HURRICANE HELENE. AND MOMENTS AGO, HE ATTENDED A BRIEFING IN COLUMBIA COUNTY WITH GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP. MR. TRUMP JUST DELIVERED REMARKS IN EVANS, GEORGIA, ATTACKING THE WHITE HOUSE RESPONSE TO THE CRISIS, AS OFFICIALS ARE NOW PUSHING BACK AGAINST A SERIES OF INCENDIARY AND BASELESS CLAIMS BY THE FORMER PRESIDENT ABOUT THE BIDEN ADMINISTRATION'S HANDLING OF THE RECOVERY. HERE IS WHAT HE SAID AT A MICHIGAN RALLY YESTERDAY.

[DONALD TRUMP] PEOPLE ARE DYING IN NORTH CAROLINA. THEY ARE DYING ALL OVER, FIVE OR SIX STATES, AND THEY'RE GETTING NO HELP FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, BECAUSE THEY HAVE NO MONEY, BECAUSE THEIR MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT ON PEOPLE THAT SHOULD NOT BE IN THE COUNTRY. THEY STOLE THE FEMA MONEY. JUST LIKE THEY STOLE IT FROM A BANK SO THEY COULD GIVE IT TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS THAT THEY WANT TO HAVE VOTE FOR THEM.

[KRISTEN WELKER] >> NOW, ACCORDING TO A WEBSITE FEMA SET UP TO COUNTER RUMORS ON SOCIAL MEDIA, WITH NO MONEY BEING DIVERTED FOR DISASTER RESPONSE AND WITHOUT NAMING THE FORMER PRESIDENT, THE FEMA ADMINISTRATOR PUSHING BACK HARD FROM THE GROUND IN NORTH CAROLINA.

[DEANNA CRISWELL, FEMA ADMINISTRATOR]>> THERE'S A LOT OF MISINFORMATION ABOUT THE FACT THAT WE ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH MONEY BECAUSE IT'S BEING REDIRECTED ELSEWHERE. THAT'S PLAIN FALSE.

THE SECOND PART I WANT TO SAY IS WE HAVE RESOURCES FOR INDIVIDUALS. WE WANT THEM TO APPLY FOR ASSISTANCE. THIS LEVEL OF MISINFORMATION CREATES A SCENARIO WHERE THEY WON'T EVEN COME TO US. THEY WON'T EVEN REGISTER. AND WE NEED PEOPLE TO REGISTER SO THEY CAN GET WHAT THEY ARE ELIGIBLE FOR THROUGH OUR PROGRAMS.

[KRISTEN WELKER]>> AND THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S CLAIMS HAVE ALSO BEEN REFUTED BY LOCAL OFFICIALS. HERE'S WHAT THE MAYORS OF TWO OF THE AREAS HARDEST HIT, ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, AND GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, TOLD ME YESTERDAY RIGHT HERE, ON THIS PROGRAM.

[MAYOR KNOX WHITE, GREENVILLE, SC] >> WELL, FEMA HAS BEEN HERE RIGHT ON THE SPOT, AS YOU WOULD HOPE. VERY GRANULAR, THAT'S THE WAY THEY WORK. AND THAT'S ENCOURAGING THE CITY. AND A LOT OF FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, COMBINED WITH LOCAL, IN TERMS OF FEEDING PROGRAMS AND EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE IN TERMS OF BOTTLED WATER, AND THINGS LIKE THAT.

[MAYOR ESTHER MANHEIMER] >> WE ARE NOW SEEING AN INCREDIBLE UP-TIK OF ACTIVITY HERE IN ASHVILLE AND COUNTY, AND IN THE REGION, WITH ALL SORTS OF RESOURCES COMING INTO THE AREA. I WAS JUST MEETING WITH PART OF OUR FEMA TEAM THAT IS HERE.

[KRISTEN WELKER]>> NOW, THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S LATEST BASELESS CLAIMS ON DISASTER AID COME AFTER EARLIER THIS WEEK HE CLAIMED, WITHOUT ANY EVIDENCE, THAT AID WAS BEING DENIED TO AREAS THAT VOTED FOR HIM IN NORTH CAROLINA. THERE IS NO EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THAT CLAIM.

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
Sep 30, 3024 11:42 AM

We are now heading to Valdosta, Georgia, in order to pay my respects and bring lots of relief material, including fuel, equipment, water, and other things, to the State. Many politicians and Law Enforcement will be there. We'll be saying hello to Franklin Graham, Burt Jones, Tyler Harper, Mike Collins, Austin Scott, Russ Goodman, Sam Watson, and the Mayor of Valdosta Scott James. They are working very hard. I was also going to stop into North Carolina, which has really been hit hard. I have a lot of supplies ready for them, but access and communication is now restricted, and we want to make sure that Local Emergency Management is able to focus on helping the people most affected, and not being concerned with me. I'll be there shortly, but don't like the reports that I'm getting about the Federal Government, and the Democrat Governor of the State, going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas. MAGA!

HERE IS THE RNC COCHAIR LARA TRUMP ON THE SHOW.

HE SAID, INDIVIDUALS WILL BE DENIED AID IN NORTH CAROLINA BECAUSE THEY VOTED FOR HIM. MY COLLEAGUE THERE PRESSED HIM, AND ASKED HIM WHERE HE WAS GETTING THAT INFORMATION FROM YESTERDAY. HE DID NOT ANSWER. DO YOU HAVE EVIDENCE? DO YOU KNOW WHERE THOSE CLAIMS ARE COMING FROM?

[LARA TRUMP]>> I ACTUALLY DO NOT. THIS IS A VITAL SITUATION AND UNFORTUNATELY, WE HAVE SEEN A LOT MORE DEATH, I THINK, THAN PREDICTED. SO I'M NOT SURE ABOUT ANY OF THOSE STATISTICS.

NBC NEWS Trump falsely says Georgia's governor was unable to talk to Biden about storm damage by Matt Dixon, Adam Edelman & Megan Lebowitz Monday

[KRISTEN WELKER]>> THE FORMER PRESIDENT, EARLIER THIS WEEK, ALSO FALSELY CLAIMING THAT GEORGIA GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP WAS UNABLE TO REACH PRESIDENT BIDEN, EVEN THOUGH KEMP TOLD REPORTERS HE DID SPEAK TO THE PRESIDENT, AND TOLD HIM, 'WE GOT WHAT WE NEED.' MR. TRUMP'S BASELESS CLAIMS ABOUT POLITICIZING FEDERAL DISASTER RELIEF COME AS POLITICO'S EVENING NEWS REPORTS THAT PRESIDENT MR. TRUMP INITIALLY REFUSED TO APPROVE DISASTER AID FOR THE DEADLY 2018 CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES. SPECIFICALLY, BECAUSE OF THAT STATE'S DEMOCRATIC LEANINGS. A FORMER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL TOLD THEM HE CHANGED HIS MIND AFTER BEING SHOWED VOTING RESULTS IN TRUMP-ALIGNED AREAS IN THE REGION.

LET'S BRING IN NOW OUR NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT SHAQUILLE BREWSTER, WHO HAS BEEN FOLLOWING DONALD TRUMP AND BRIAN KEMP IN GEORGIA. MARISSA PARRA IS IN EASTERN TENNESSEE, ABOUT 60 MILES NORTH OF ASHVILLE. DASHA BURNS IS IN BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, AHEAD OF TRUMP'S RALLY THERE TOMORROW. AND GARRETT HAAKE, NORMALLY ON THE TRUMP BEAT, IS ALSO IN FLINT, MICHIGAN, AHEAD OF KAMALA HARRIS' RALLY LATER TODAY.

SHAQUILLE, LET'S START WITH YOU. AS WE'VE TALKED ABOUT, DONALD TRUMP IS SPENDING THE AFTERNOON IN GEORGIA -- NOT TECHNICALLY A CAMPAIGN EVENT -- AND HE IS THERE WITH BRIAN KEMP. WHAT WERE YOUR KEY TAKEAWAYS? OBVIOUSLY, BRIAN KEMP DID NOT INITIALLY ENDORSE DONALD TRUMP. NOW HE HAS. WHAT WERE YOUR TAKEAWAYS?

[SHAQUILLE BREWSTER, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT]>> YEAH, I THINK WE'VE GOTTEN SOME EVIDENCE OF THAT TRUCE BETWEEN THESE TWO LEADERS. YOU KNOW, WE JUST HEARD BRIAN KEMP AND FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP HERE BEHIND ME, AND YOU HEARD FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP PRAISE THE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA SAYING THAT HE IS DOING A FANTASTIC JOB, and EARLIER IN THE DAY SAYING HE IS SOMEONE WHO WHO IS WORKING NIGHT AND DAY FOR THE PEOPLE OF GEORGIA. DURING THIS TRIP, WE SAW THE FORMER PRESIDENT MEET GO AND MEET WITH VOLUNTEERS AND FIRST RESPONDERS. HE GOT BRIEFED BY SOME COUNTY OFFICIALS ON THE EXACT DAMAGE IN THIS AREA. I'LL TELL YOU THAT COMING IN THIS MORNING, YOU SAW THAT WHILE THE RECOVERY IS WELL UNDERWAY -- THE ROADS ARE CLEAR -- YOU STILL SEE THE IMPACT OF THIS HURRICANE: BIG TREES FALLEN OVER; SOME ELECTRICITY AND POWER ISSUES STILL ONGOING IN THIS AREA. BUT YOU CONTINUE TO HEAR THE FORMER PRESIDENT REPEAT THOSE CLAIMS THAT ARE BASELESS, THAT THE FEMA DIRECTOR HAS PUSHED BACK AGAINST, BUT SAYING THAT ESSENTIALLY MONEY HAS BEEN REDIRECTED TO MIGRANTS. LISTEN TO A LITTLE BIT OF WHAT WE HEARD. AGAIN, THAT FALSE CLAIM.

[DONALD TRUMP] >> A TERRIBLE RESPONSE FROM THE WHITE HOUSE. THEY ARE MISSING $1 BILLION THAT WAS USED FOR ANOTHER PURPOSE AND NOBODY HAS SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THAT. NO, FROM THAT STANDPOINT, IT HAS BEEN TERRIBLE.

[SHAQUILLE BREWSTER, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT] ONCE AGAIN YOU HAVE THE FEMA DIRECTOR SAYING THAT IS NOT THE CASE, THAT IT WOULD BE ILLEGAL FOR FEMA TO USE DISASTER RESPONSE MONEY FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES. AND THAT WHAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT COULD BE TALKING ABOUT IS ESSENTIALLY A CONGRESSIONALLY-MANDATED PROGRAM THAT FEMA ADMINISTERS, BUT DID NOT COME FROM ANY DISASTER RELIEF MONEY. BUT WE DID HEAR AGAIN, THE GOVERNOR OF GEORGIA, HE WAS UP HERE. HE SAID THAT FIRST RESPONDERS ARE WORKING HARD. THERE'S STILL A LOT OF WORK THAT IS LEFT TO BE DONE. AND AGAIN, NOT BACKING UP THOSE CLAIMS FROM THE FORMER PRESIDENT.

[KRISTEN WELKER]>> YOU KNOW, SHAQ, IT IS REALLY FASCINATING TO SEE TRUMP AND KEMP STANDING NEXT TO EACH OTHER AFTER THEIR FROSTY RELATIONSHIP, AFTER 2020. WAS THERE ANY INDICATION OF THAT ON DISPLAY?

[SHAQUILLE BREWSTER, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT]>> I THINK WE HAVE SOME OF THE VIDEO FROM SOME OF THE BRIEFINGS, AND SOME OF THE INTERACTIONS. I WILL LET THE BODY LANGUAGE EXPERTS TAKE THAT, AND SEE WHAT THEY WANT TO READ INTO IT. BUT AT LEAST, BASED ON THE TONE, YOU HAD THE FORMER PRESIDENT PRAISING BRIAN KEMP REPEATEDLY IN THAT EXCHANGE WHERE YOU SAW THEM SITTING NEXT TO ONE ANOTHER. HE WOULD GO OVER AND SHAKE HIS HAND, AND SAID REPEATEDLY, 'OH, YOU ARE DOING A GREAT JOB'. HERE, AS WE HEARD THE TWO OF THEM SPEAKING, WE HEARD BRIAN KEMP PRAISE THE FORMER PRESIDENT AND THANK HIM FOR COMING BACK TO GEORGIA FOR THE SECOND TIME THIS WEEK, FOR KEEPING NATIONAL ATTENTION ON THE RECOVERY HERE. SO IT SEEMS THAT THE TRUCE IS HOLDING UP. IT WAS JUST BACK IN AUGUST WHEN WE HEARD THE FORMER PRESIDENT GOING AFTER BRIAN KEMP. CALLING HIM, 'AN AVERAGE GOVERNOR,' SAYING HE WAS A DISLOYAL GUY, GOING AFTER HIS WIFE IN PRETTY PERSONAL TERMS AT A RALLY. THINGS HAVE DEFINITELY CHANGED, AND WE SEE THEM TOGETHER FOR THE FIRST TIME IN ABOUT FOUR YEARS, WHEN AGAIN BRIAN KEMP DIDN'T BACK UP THE FORMER PRESIDENT'S ATTEMPTS TO OVERTURN THE ELECTION RESULTS HERE IN THE STATE OF GEORGIA.

[KRISTEN WELKER]>> THAT'S RIGHT, BUT NOW THEY ARE SITTING NEXT TO EACH OTHER, WITH JUST 32 DAYS TO GO UNTIL THE ELECTION. SHAQ, THANKS SO MUCH.

MARISSA, LET ME TURN TO YOU. YOU ARE ON THE GROUND IN HARD-HIT EASTERN TENNESSEE. WHAT ARE THE RESIDENTS TELLING YOU? ARE THEY GETTING WHAT THEY NEED FROM THE FEDERAL RESPONSE?

[MARISSA PARRA] >> WELL, I CAN TELL YOU ON THE GROUND, I'M NOT SEEING OR HEARING THAT MUCH ABOUT MISINFORMATION, AT LEAST ON THE GROUND. BUT WHAT I HAVE SEEN ONLINE IS A TOTALLY DIFFERENT STORY, OF COURSE. EVEN IN THE LOCAL FACEBOOK GROUPS I HAVE SEEN A LOT OF COMMENTS THAT ARE CASTING SKEPTICISM ON FEDERAL RESPONSE AND FEDERAL AID. BUT I CAN TELL YOU, I HAVE SEEN TEMA, WHICH IS THE TENNESSEE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, AND I AM SEEING FEMA IN DIFFERENT CAPACITIES, RIGHT? BECAUSE THERE IS SO MUCH TO BE DONE ON THE GROUND. AND THAT'S JUST WHERE WE ARE, IN ERWIN, TENNESSEE. THAT'S NOT TO MENTION ALL THE OTHER STATES. THERE ARE PEOPLE ON THE GROUND HERE DOING BUILDING ASSESSMENTS TO EVEN SEE IF IT IS SAFE FOR SEARCH & RESCUE TO GO INSIDE. WE KNOW THERE IS SEARCH AND RESCUE JUST DOWN THE STREET FROM WHERE WE ARE. THEY HAVE CADAVER DOGS LOOKING THROUGH DEBRIS. THIS IS ONE WEEK AFTER HELENE. NOT TO MENTION ALL OF THE RECOVERY AND REBUILDING THAT HAS TO BE DONE, ASIDE FROM ALSO FINDING ALL THE PEOPLE WHO ARE STILL MISSING. YOU HAVE PEOPLE, INCLUDING PEOPLE I JUST TALKED TO YESTERDAY, A WOMAN WHO LOST HER HOME; SHE LOST HER HUSBAND; SHE LOST HER DOG. SHE DOES NOT HAVE FLOOD INSURANCE. VERY FEW PEOPLE DID. THEY DIDN'T EXPECT THIS TO HAPPEN. SO THERE IS THE QUESTION OF REBUILDING; THE IMPACT ON AGRICULTURE; ON THE ECONOMY; THE LOCAL ECONOMY HERE. AGRICULTURE IS A BIG ONE. THERE ARE FARMING FIELDS; THERE ARE STRAWBERRY FIELDS; THERE'S TOMATO FIELDS WHICH HAVE BEEN DECIMATED. SO THERE ARE, OF COURSE, THE SHORT-TERM IMPACTS, THE DEVASTATION, THE GRIEF, AND ALL THE QUESTIONS ON WHAT HAPPENS NEXT; WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR LOCAL ECONOMY, BECAUSE FOR SOME OF THESE HARD-HIT AREAS, THEIR EPICENTERS HAVE BEEN WIPED OUT. PARTICULARLY, OF COURSE, WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ASHEVILLE. THE DEVASTATION IS SO WIDESPREAD THAT IT'S REALLY, AT THIS MOMENT, STILL HARD TO GRASP WHAT THE FINANCIAL COST IS GOING TO BE HERE. BUT IN TERMS OF RESPONSE AND RELIEF, WE HAVE HAD HELICOPTERS FLYING OVERHEAD, EVEN IN THIS SHORT TIME THAT WE HAVE BEEN HERE, WHETHER IT'S PRIVATE HELICOPTERS, OR AIRPLANES, AND OF COURSE FEDERAL ONES AS WELL, DELIVERING AID WHEN ANYONE CAN SEE IT. SO IT IS A COMBINATION OF ALL OF IT. AGAIN, ON THE GROUND, IN TERMS OF PEOPLE, I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYONE TURNING AWAY DONATIONS. I HAVEN'T SEEN DONATIONS BEING TURNED AWAY. I HAVEN'T SEEN ANYONE TURNING AWAY HELP FROM ANYWHERE IT'S COMING, KRISTEN.

[KRISTEN WELKER]>> GREAT REPORTING, MARISSA. AND WE CAN SEE THE DEVASTATION, THE WORK, THE REBUILDING THAT REMAINS IN THAT LIVE SHOT BEHIND US. THANK YOU, MARISSA, SO MUCH. REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

NOW, DASHA, LET ME TURN TO YOU AS WE TALK ABOUT SOME OF THESE BASELESS CLAIMS THAT FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS MADE AS IT RELATES TO THE HURRICANE RESPONSE. I HAVE BEEN TALKING TO REPUBLICAN ALLIES, AND THEY SAY THE KEY TO FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP WINNING IS FOR HIM TO STICK TO THE ISSUES WHERE HE IS STRONGEST. I AM TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMY AND IMMIGRATION. POLLS SHOW HE'S GOT A LEAD ON THESE ISSUES, ALTHOUGH THAT LEAD IS NARROWING. WHAT ARE TRUMP ALLIES TELLING YOU ABOUT THIS LATEST RHETORIC THAT WE ARE HEARING FROM THE PRESIDENT?

[DASHA BURNS, NBC CORRESPONDENT]>> WELL, LOOK KRISTEN, I THINK YOU HIT ON THE CENTRAL FRUSTRATION THAT YOU HEAR FROM REPUBLICAN OPERATIVES AND ALLIES OF THE FORMER PRESIDENT. THEY FEEL, YES, HE IS STRONG ON IMMIGRATION. HE HAS REASON TO CRITICIZE FEDERAL RESPONSE TO THINGS LIKE THIS HURRICANE. THEY FEEL THERE ARE LEGITIMATE CRITICISMS TO BE LEVIED WHEN IT COMES TO HOW THIS WHITE HOUSE HAS HANDLED THINGS AT THE SOUTHERN BORDER. AND EVEN FEMA. WE'VE REPORTED AT TIMES BEFORE, ON THE CHALLENGES THAT FEMA FACES. THEY OFTEN DON'T OFTEN HAVE ENOUGH RESOURCES AND ENOUGH FUNDING TO DO WHAT THEY NEED TO DO. THERE HAS BEEN FRUSTRATION IN SOME OF THESE COMMUNITIES. THERE ARE THINGS YOU CAN LOOK AT, AND SAY 'HEY, HOW IS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT HANDLING THIS MASSIVE CHALLENGE?' BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS DOING. WHEN IT COMES TO IMMIGRATION, [TRUMP] MAKING FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT FEMA, MAKING FALSE CLAIMS ABOUT PEOPLE EATING CATS AND DOGS, DISTRACTING FROM THE REAL SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES. AND WHEN IT COMES TO THE FEDERAL RESPONSE TO THIS HURRICANE, HE IS TAKING ISSUE WITH SOMETHING THAT'S NOT REAL. THAT HAS BEEN FACT-CHECKED AND DEBUNKED. THEY FEEL IF HE COULD JUST STICK TO THE FACTS, THAT THERE IS A LANE FOR HIM TO BE SUCCESSFUL ON THESE ISSUES. THAT'S SIMPLY NOT HAPPENING. AND WHEN YOU SEE HIM IN GEORGIA WITH GOVERNOR BRIAN KEMP, I MEAN, IT IS A STRIKING IMAGE BECAUSE JUST MONTHS AGO I WAS AT A RALLY OF HIS IN ATLANTA, AND HE WAS OPENLY, IN KENT'S STATE CRITICIZING HIM. NOW THE TABLES HAVE TOTALLY TURNED. THE TONE HAS TOTALLY CHANGED. AND YOU LOOK AT WHAT ELSE HAS CHANGED? WELL, WHEN IT WAS BIDEN AT THE TOP OF THE TICKET, THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN FELT THEY HAD GEORGIA IN THE BAG; THEY FELT THEY HAD NORTH CAROLINA IN THE BAG. SO I THINK ALSO SOME OF THESE CLAIMS THAT THE FORMER PRESIDENT IS MAKING, TRYING TO ESCALATE CHALLENGES IN GEORGIA AND IN PLACES LIKE NORTH CAROLINA, ALSO COME FROM A PLACE WHERE IT'S NOT SO SECURE ANYMORE THAT HE IS GOING TO WIN THOSE STATES. AND THE POLLS DO HAVE HIM AND HARRIS NECK AND NECK, KRISTEN.

[KRISTEN WELKER]>> YES, IT IS STRIKING TO SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO THE POLLING. DASHA, YOU ARE THERE IN BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA, THE SITE OF THE FIRST ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT AGAINST FORMER PRESIDENT TRUMP. I'M SURE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF EMOTIONS FOR EVERYONE WHO IS THERE ANTICIPATING THIS VISIT. WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING FROM THAT EVENT TOMORROW?

[DASHA BURNS, NBC NEWS CORRESPONDENT] >> LOOK, THIS IS NOT INSIGNIFICANT FOR THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN. IT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND FOR THE PEOPLE WHO WERE THERE ON JULY 13. I WAS THERE. I SPENT TIME WITH PEOPLE WHO WITNESSED HORRIFIC, TRAGIC, FATAL INCIDENTS, AND I WENT BACK AND TALKED TO SOME OF THOSE FOLKS. AND I'VE GOT TO TELL YOU, KRISTEN, IT IS A SIMILAR EXPERIENCE TO WHAT I HAD, WHICH IS, IT HAS A SERIOUS IMPACT. PEOPLE HAVE BEEN GOING TO TRAUMA THERAPY; PEOPLE HAVE BEEN SCARED BY LOUD NOISES. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE ALL WITNESSED ON TELEVISION, SOME PEOPLE WITNESSED IN PERSON, AND SOMEONE LOST THEIR LIFE; DAUGHTERS LOST A FATHER; A WIFE LOST A HUSBAND, AND WE KNOW THAT TOMORROW THE FAMILY OF [INAUDIBLE] WILL BE FEATURED AS SPEAKERS. THERE WILL BE FOLKS WHO WERE AT THAT RALLY THAT WILL BE FEATURED AS SPEAKERS; LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT FIRST RESPONDERS WILL BE THERE. YOU'VE GOT BIG NAMES LIKE ELON MUSK COMING; AS WELL, OF COURSE, RUNNING MATE JD VANCE. BUT FOR THIS COMMUNITY, AND WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA AT LARGE, PEOPLE CAME FROM ALL OVER THE PLACE, EVEN PARTS OF OHIO FOR THIS RALLY. IT REALLY IS AN IMPORTANT MOMENT TO GO BACK. THERE IS SOME DISCOMFORT WITH THAT, AND SOME CONCERN WITH THAT, BUT THE PEOPLE THAT I'VE BEEN TALKING TO FEEL THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO FINISH WHAT HAD STARTED. I MEAN, THE FORMER PRESIDENT WAS ONLY A FEW MINUTES INTO THAT SPEECH WHEN THOSE SHOTS RANG OUT, AND HE SAYS HE WANTS TO FINISH IT; HE WANTS TO COME BACK AND FULFILL THE PROMISE. AND A LOT OF PEOPLE AROUND HERE REALLY FEEL THAT THEY NEED THAT FOR THEIR OWN HEALING. AND OF COURSE, SO IMPORTANT TO THOSE WHO LOST A LOVED ONE THAT DAY, KRISTEN.  

[KRISTEN WELKER] >> ABSOLUTELY, DASHA, AND YOU SHOWED GREAT BRAVERY IN YOUR REPORTING THAT DASHA. AND NOW AGAIN GOING BACK TO TELL US ABOUT THIS EVENT THAT YOU WILL BE THERE FOR TOMORROW. DASHA BURNS, THANK YOU SO MUCH. WE REALLY APPRECIATE IT.

GARRETT, LET ME TURN TO YOU. YOU ARE, OF COURSE, NORMALLY OUR TRUMP REPORTER, BUT TODAY YOU ARE ON THE HARRIS BEAT. YOU ARE IN MICHIGAN. TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STRATEGY THAT WE ARE SEEING FROM THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN. SHE WAS OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL WITH FORMER CONGRESSWOMAN LIZ CHENEY YESTERDAY. DO YOU THINK, DOES THE CAMPAIGN FEEL CONFIDENT, THAT THAT COULD HELP WIN OVER SOME OF THOSE UNDECIDEDS AND THOSE MODERATE VOTERS?

[GARRETT HAAKE] >> YES, I'M TAKING A BIT OF A FIELD TRIP TODAY TO GET A SENSE OF WHAT IT'S LIKE ON THE TRAIL WITH THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN, WHAT THE CROWDS ARE LIKE, AND WHAT THE REACTION'S LIKE TO HER. AND ON THE ISSUE OF REACHING SOME OF THOSE REPUBLICANS. I THINK IT'S NOTABLE BECAUSE THE CAMPAIGN IS THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN IS FRANKLY THE ONLY CAMPAIGN TRYING TO REACH SOME OF THOSE NIKKI HALEY REPUBLICANS; FOLKS WHO MIGHT HAVE BEEN TRADITIONAL SUBURBAN REPUBLICANS WHO DON'T SEE THEMSELVES IN DONALD TRUMP'S PARTY. THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN HAS VIRTUALLY LEFT THOSE PEOPLE BEHIND. THEY ARE MOSTLY FOCUSED ON TARGETING LOW INFORMATION VOTERS; PARTICULARLY YOUNG MEN WHO MAY NOT HAVE EVEN VOTED IN THE PAST BUT WHO THEY THINK MIGHT HAVE AFFINITY FOR DONALD TRUMP IF THEY VOTE AT ALL. AND THEY HAVE NOT DONE A BROAD SPECTRUM OUTREACH TO TRADITIONAL CONSERVATIVES WHO ARE NOT ON THE TRUMP TRAIN. AND THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN, I THINK, RIGHTLY SEES AN OPENING THERE TO TRY AND INVITE SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE IN. AND THEY SEE LIZ CHENEY AS A POTENTIAL VALIDATOR. NOW CHENEY OBVIOUSLY DOES NOT HAVE A HUGE CONSTITUENCY LEFT IN THIS MODERN REPUBLICAN PARTY, BUT WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT HUGE MARGINS, CERTAINLY NOT IN A STATE LIKE WISCONSIN WHERE I APPEARED YESTERDAY. JOE BIDEN WON BY, I THINK, SOMETHING LIKE 20,000 VOTES FOUR YEARS AGO. HERE IN MICHIGAN, EVERY VOTE COULD MATTER. AND THE HARRIS CAMPAIGN HAS KIND OF A HOST OF CHALLENGES OR OPPORTUNITIES. THEY'VE GOT TO SHORE UP SUPPORT WITH LABOR; THEY'VE GOT TO SHORE UP SUPPORT AMID A SIZABLE ARAB COMMUNITY HERE. THEY'VE GOT TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY DON'T LOSE YOUNG AFRICAN-AMERICAN MEN WHO HAVE BEEN A TARGET OF THE TRUMP CAMPAIGN FOR A YEAR AND A HALF NOW. THEY'RE NOT GONNA SOLVE ALL THOSE PROBLEMS TODAY, BUT HARRIS HAS ALREADY BEEN PRETTY AGGRESSIVE IN THE DETROIT AREA TODAY ON THE ISSUE OF LABOR. AND I SUSPECT WE'LL HEAR HER TOUCH ON ALL THREE OF THOSE CONSTITUENCIES HERE IN CLINTON TONIGHT.

[KRISTEN WELKER]>> I THINK THAT IS A SAFE BET FOR SURE, GARRETT. AND WE KNOW THAT NEXT WEEK FORMER PRESIDENT OBAMA WILL BE OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL IN BATTLEGROUND PENNSYLVANIA, ANOTHER BIG BATTLEGROUND STATE. GARRETT, THANKS FOR YOUR GREAT REPORTING AS ALWAYS.

‘This is FALSE’: White House responds to Trump’s FEMA disaster relief claims
CNN
Oct 4, 2024 #CNN #news

The White House released a statement denying former President Donald Trump's claims that the Biden administration is withholding FEMA disaster relief funds and diverting the funds to immigrants. #CNN #news



Transcript

[CNN CORRESPONDENT] Let's turn now to Hurricane Helene and the rising death toll, with more than 200 people now confirmed dead, and hundreds more are still missing. Helene, now the deadliest hurricane to hit the mainland U.S. since Hurricane Katrina in 2005. President Biden and Vice President Harris touring Hard-Hit communities across the southeast and earlier this week deploying active duty troops. Donald Trump, preparing to make his second visit to Georgia today, and claiming without evidence that the Biden administration is withholding aid from states, including Georgia and North Carolina.

[DONALD TRUMP] They stole the FEMA money just like they stole it from a bank, so they could give it to their illegal immigrants that they want to have vote for them this season. You know, they're trying to get them on the voters. We cannot let that happen.

[CNN CORRESPONDENT] The White House pushing back against those allegations, releasing a statement that says this,

[WHITE HOUSE] "This is false. The disaster relief fund is specifically appropriated by Congress to prepare for, respond to, recover from, and mitigate impacts of natural disasters. It is completely separate from other grant programs administered by FEMA for DHS.

-- Angelo Fernandez Hernandez, White House Spokesperson

[CNN CORRESPONDENT] Our panel is back here. Now, this has clearly become a big flashpoint on the right, Alex. They're talking about -- they're tying immigration, all of the places where they feel stronger in with this disaster relief question. Over arching all of it is the fact that the response has been a week out. There's still people missing, cut off from the world. We were just playing video of a man holding up a mirror to try to get attention from a helicopter pilot. I mean, this is happening in America. That is a challenge for Biden and Harris.

[Alex Thompson, National Political Reporter, Axios] Yeah, and Trump seized on it right away last weekend. He was the first one of these three people to be on the ground when he went to Georgia last week. And meanwhile, you know, after the hurricane made landfall, Joe Biden did travel to the beach over the weekend. When he was asked about it, he said, 'Well, I had a telephone,' and it seemed like a little bit flip. And then Kamala Harris also realized there was a problem because, she was out on the West Coast on a fundraising swing, and quickly sort of came back. And now you see that they are scrambling to sort of show that they are on the ground. Joe Biden making several visits to storm damaged areas just the last two days. And so they're trying to sort of play a little catch up here.

[CNN Reporter] Yeah, Megan, how would you grade the performance so far?

[Meghan Hays, Former Biden White House Director of Message Planning] Well, I think it's a little bit more nuanced. The resources that they draw from going on the ground, that takes actually away from people doing rescue and these active, you know, things that the people actually need, like the police resources. So I don't think it's fair for them to be on the ground. I actually think it's a mistake for them to be on the ground.

[CNN Reporter] But what about going back to the white House as this is unfolding?

[Meghan Hays, Former Biden White House Director of Message Planning] I mean, the president can be the president from anywhere. So that falls a little flat. He shouldn't be so flip. But that's his nature to say flip things. You just saw him say that about Israel. So that's just his nature. is it appropriate? Probably not. Should he choose a different tone? Sure. But that is his nature. But I do think, you know, [President Biden] was very quick to put out disaster relief declarations. They are very quick to do that. That it's always something they do. He's always in touch with the governors and the mayors on the ground. I don't think anyone on the ground is saying that their actions are slow.

[Reporter?] But Governor Kemp can complain that that some of the counties weren't covered by the disaster declaration. Said he had to call [inaudible] chief of staff, and then get it expanded.

[Meghan Hays, Former Biden White House Director of Message Planning] But I also think, though, that optics do matter, and being on the ground matters. And that's what people remember. And so I do think, you know, it is hard. The resources argument is a fair argument. But it is hard to show people, and tell people that, when they don't have lights; they don't have cell coverage; their family members are missing.

[Matt Gorman, Former Tim Scott Presidential Campaign Senior Advisor] I think they they want to see leadership. Even last night he was saying, "What storm zone?" And "people are very happy." And you're right, it certainly does look like people are happy on the ground. But Governor Kemp was not happy with the scope of the FEMA declaration. And there's also been mixed messages from Mayorkas and DHS and FEMA about this. Three months ago, they were saying, we have plenty of money; we will be fine. Recently saying we don't have enough to get us through hurricane season. And so that mixed messages. I think it's been a lackluster response across the board for a storm that is sneakily historic.  

-- Back-to-back hurricanes reshape 2024 campaign’s final stretch, by Josh Boak, AP News, Updated 3:34 PM MDT, October 11, 2024

[CNN Reporter] Yeah. Joining me now to talk more about this, Kevin Frey, Washington correspondent for Spectrum News, New York 1. Kevin, good morning. Wonderful to see you. Let's talk about these disaster politics because the optics of this in a campaign season can be very significant. if you remember back to Chris Christie and Barack Obama in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, that really got under the skin of Romney, it aids to see those pictures. Now, Brian Kemp, not appearing with the sitting vice president. What does that say to you about the state of things, and how do you think this ultimately cuts in the election?

[KEVIN FREY, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, SPECTRUM NEWS NY1] Right? So, I mean, look, for Kamala Harris, this is both a difficulty, and also an opportunity for her, because she can play this presidential role, above politics and also be the consoler in chief, taking on one of these presidential responsibilities, where you're actually outreaching to folks, making them feel better in their time of crisis. At the same time, it has given rise to a new line of attack, even if it's not based in fact, for the Trump campaign. And Trump is able to appear with Brian Kemp, with other folks, to show that he is making inroads with parts of the party that, quite frankly, were quite critical of him just within the last few years.

[CNN REPORTER] Yeah. The the central challenge here, too, I mean, as this response goes on, there potentially is some risk, I think, for Democrats in, there are a lot of questions about all of the people that are still missing in the mountains of North Carolina. How much of a challenge is that potentially for Harris, considering she is the sitting vice president?

[KEVIN FREY, WASHINGTON CORRESPONDENT, SPECTRUM NEWS NY1] Right. And we, I believe it is now the second deadliest hurricane incident since Hurricane Katrina. Correct me if I'm wrong there. And we all remember the devastating impact that that had on George Bush's legacy in the immediate aftermath of that, in terms of people questioning his ability to lead through such a crisis. As we continue to see these communities that are cut off in North Carolina and other parts of the country, particularly in these key battleground states, let's not forget that, that could pose all sorts of difficulties for her as she tries to, you know, outreach to these Sunbelt states.

No, Biden didn’t take FEMA relief money to use on migrants — but Trump did. Donald Trump falsely accuses President Biden of redirecting disaster funds, a budget maneuver Trump himself approved in 2019.
by Glenn Kessler
Washington Post
October 4, 2024 at 12:29 p.m. EDT
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics ... trump-did/

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“The Harris-Biden administration says they don’t have any money [for hurricane relief]. … They spent it all on illegal migrants. … They stole the FEMA money just like they stole it from a bank, so they could give it to their illegal immigrants that they want to have vote for them.”

— Former president Donald Trump, remarks at a campaign rally in Saginaw, Mich., Oct. 3

Trump has been trying to weaponize the Hurricane Helene relief efforts, accusing the Biden administration of failing to provide adequate assistance. As part of his critique, he claims there is no money available for hurricane relief because it was spent already to handle the surge of migrants at the southern border.

“They stole the FEMA money just like they stole it from a bank,” Trump charged, referring to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, adding in the additional falsehood that Vice President Kamala Harris wants illegal immigrants to vote for her. As we have explained many times before, this would be against the law and there is no evidence to support this claim.

Trump’s claims have been echoed by his supporters, such as billionaire Elon Musk. But Trump is completely wrong.

Even though Trump was once president, he still appears to have little clue about the appropriations process. What’s even richer is that when he was president, he did exactly what he claims Biden did — take money from FEMA’s disaster fund to fund migrant programs at the southern border.

The Facts

FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security. On Wednesday, DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told reporters: “We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have. We are expecting another hurricane hitting. FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season.”

He emphasized there was plenty of money to deal with the current disaster. “We are meeting the moment,” he said, adding: “We have the immediate needs right now. On a continuing resolution, we have funds, but that is not a stable source of supply, if you will.”

Congress, as part of a short-term spending bill, recently provided $20 billion to the FEMA disaster relief fund. But Mayorkas noted: “That doesn’t speak about the future and the fact, as I mentioned earlier, that these extreme weather events are increasing in frequency and severity, and we have to be funded for the sake of the American people. This is not a political issue.”

In other words, Trump falsely claimed that there is no money left for Hurricane Helene survivors. That’s the opposite of what Mayorkas said.

“FEMA has what it needs for immediate response and recovery efforts,” FEMA spokeswoman Jaclyn Rothenberg said on X. “As [FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell] said, she has the full authority to spend against the President’s budget, but we’re not out of hurricane season yet so we need to keep a close eye on it. We may need to go back into immediate needs funding and we will be watching it closely.”

So how does Trump link this to migrants? A Trump campaign spokesman pointed to FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program, which gives grants to local governments and nonprofits to take care of undocumented immigrants. Congress boosted the budget from $360 million in fiscal year 2023 to $650 million in fiscal year 2024. The program’s 2023 annual report says it provides shelter, such as hotel/motel services, food and transportation, including plane tickets up to $700 a person.

As we said, Congress appropriated this money, just as it did the disaster fund. There’s no evidence that any money from the disaster fund was used to help migrants.

“These claims are completely false,” DHS said in a statement Thursday night. “As Secretary Mayorkas said, FEMA has the necessary resources to meet the immediate needs associated with Hurricane Helene and other disasters. The Shelter and Services Program (SSP) is a completely separate, appropriated grant program that was authorized and funded by Congress and is not associated in any way with FEMA’s disaster-related authorities or funding streams.”

Trump has a habit of assuming other politicians act in the same way as he would. So we wondered why he would accuse Biden of raiding the FEMA disaster fund to handle undocumented migrants.

It turns out that’s because he did this. In 2019, the Trump administration, in the middle of hurricane season, told Congress that it was taking $271 million from DHS programs, including $155 million from the disaster fund, to pay for immigration detention space and temporary hearing locations for asylum seekers who had been forced to wait in Mexico. “The U.S. is facing a security and humanitarian crisis on the Southern border,” the administration said in its notice that it was redirecting the funds.

The monthly reports issued by the FEMA disaster fund show $38 million was plucked and given to Immigration and Customs Enforcement in August that year — just before the prime storm period of September and October.

The Trump campaign did not respond to questions about Trump’s actions in 2019.

The Pinocchio Test

Trump falsely claims FEMA has run out of disaster money — and then falsely says that’s because money instead was spent on migrants. There is no evidence the Biden administration spent FEMA disaster money on migrants. Rather, that’s what Trump did.

He earns Four Pinocchios.

Remarks by President Biden and Vice President Harris on the Federal Government’s Response to Hurricanes Milton and
Helene
The White House
October 11, 2024

Roosevelt Room

1:21 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Well, folks, Kamala and I have just received a briefing from senior leaders across our administration from Hurricane Helene and — and Hurricane Milton. And to state the obvious, I’m sure you feel the same way, our heart goes out to all those folks who — who’ve lost not only personal property but their homes and some lost lives — and grieving after the aftermath of the — the tornados, brutal winds, record downpours, and historic flooding.

I must have spoken in the last three days to 50 to 75 members of the — in Cali- — from North Carolina all the way down to Florida, talking to mayors and county executives and — anyway, it’s just — it’s amazing what’s going on.

And, you know, this is the third major storm — third major storm to hit California — I mean, excuse me, Florida, in three months. And experts estimate that as — and it’s early — early estimates — it could be more; it could be less — but estimates that it’s caused damages around $50 billion from Hurricane Milton alone — just alone, $50 billion.

And I want everyone in the impacted areas to know we’re going to do everything we can to let you — help you pick back up the pieces and get back to where you were.

We’ve been in constant contact, calling and reaching out to over 40 state and local officials, as I said, and they — they need — we have to give them a little bit of hope. I mean, some of you have been through crises. You know the one thing you wonder about when things are really bad is, is there hope? Is — is anybody coming? What’s going to happen? And that’s what — that’s what’s happening right now. State and local officials are — are doing everything they can to help these folks recover.

At my request, the primary focus of today’s briefing has been on the power restoration and debris removal, because there are urgent needs.

Milton left over 3 million people without power, but with the dedication of 50,000 powerline workers — 50,000 powerline workers from 43 states and the country of — and Canada have stepped up and come down to help and to restore — they’ve already restored power to 1 million people so far.

And, by the way, if you ever watch these guys and women climb these poles in the middle of nowhere, this is — anyway, they’re — they’re risking this while they’re doing this work.

And I’ve — we just spoke to the CEOs of the public and private electric utilities to thank them for surging their — their restoration crews to people urgently needing power, even in the communities they don’t serve. That’s one of the points: A lot of these folks are going into the communities they have — they don’t serve at all and just volunteering. And the energy sector is real.

And, by the way, our secretary, Jennifer Granholm, of Energy, is — she calls it a “mini NATO,” a — a commitment to mutual assistance and another shining example of Americans — literally someone — when push comes to shove, they stand up and take care of one another.

We’re going to continue to prioritize this effort until everyone is reconnected and back online.

We’ve been able to get this work done quicker because of critical infrastructure investments we’ve made, but when I was vice president — both when I was vice president and since I’ve been president to harden the grid — the grid — you all know it, but “the grid” meaning, for your listeners, the electric power grid that transmits power — harden the grid by incorporating innovative technologies like burying transmission lines underground, replacing wood power poles with concrete power poles that don’t snap in the wind.

To reduce the impact of extreme weather and climate change, we have to continue making these investments. We were just talking about it with the utility companies and with our team here and with — with the secretary.

You know, over the years, the past several years, Florida has taken the money, back when we — I got when we were vice president — when I was vice president, to invest in putting these lines underground. It costs a hell of a lot more to put the lines underground than it does up in the air, but — up to six times more or seven times more — but it makes sense, be- –and anybody who says, “We don’t want to spend the money,” think of the three storms. Ev- — after every damn storm, it’ll wipe out the power grid; you’ve got to rebuild it. And so, if you can keep it so it’s not wiped out, it makes a long-term savings.

And the other thing that’s a big deal is debris removal. FEMA and the Corps of Engineers and the Florida National Guard are now on the ground helping the state clear debris — debris to reopen roads and critical ports as well.

I mean, s- — you’ve seen the pictures. Some of you have been there. You see wh- — for example, in North Carolina, where half a mountain comes down and the bridge rolls into the water, and you’ve got — you’ve got piles. I mean, you — you see at the end of a — end of a river in a cul-de-sac. I mean, piles are three, four, five feet high with all kinds of debris in there. It’s going to take a lot of time and money to remove it.

But the Army Corps and the Florida National Guard in Florida are on the ground helping clear this debris and reopen the roads. A- — and so, we can make — they have to do it for other reasons, to make critical deliveries of food, water, and tarps and lifesaving supplies.

The Coast Guard is leading the effort to reopen the Port of Tampa, which you — as you all know, because we’ve — everybody’s been covering it and they’ve done a good job of doing it — covering it because it’s a port that delivers a lot of — a lot of fuel that goes into the region and goods that are necessary. It’s critical for the economy of the region.

And — and, again, let me say that the misinformation out there is not only just disgusting, but it — it’s dangerous and it’s misleading. And, again, the first thing it does — and I mean this sincerely. I don’t — a lot of you have been through these crises, some of you personally. But people desperately want hope — “Tell me it’s going to be okay.” “Tell me it’s going to be okay.” And they’re in real trouble, a lot of them.

And to hear this malarkey you’re hearing from some of the people [Trump] we — I won’t even get into, but — I’ll lose my temper.

But, anyway, the truth is we’re providing all the resources that are needed.

Let me close with this. I want to thank you again to our brave first responders, powerline workers, state and local officials, and neighbors helping neighbors and so many more.

Look, it’s a team effort. I know that sounds corny, but it really is a team effort and everybody in the game here.

We — we’re looking at it very seriously, and we’re working together. And it’s made a big difference. I think we’ve saved lives — not me, but we, all of those folks out in the field have saved lives.

But there’s more to do, and we’re going to do everything in my power to get it done. And the fact of the matter is that we’re in a situation where — well —

SECRETARY GRANHOLM: She’s (inaudible) —

THE PRESIDENT: I — I know. I’m going to go to the vice president in a second.

The — she — she’s my boss here. (Laughter.) (Inaudible.)

SECRETARY GRANHOLM: I wasn’t sure if you saw it. (Laughs.)

THE PRESIDENT: We’re — we’re going to be —

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Mr. President —

THE PRESIDENT: Wa- — hang on one second, Madam Vice President.

THE VICE PRESIDENT: Sure. (Laughs.)

THE PRESIDENT: We’re going to — we’re going to be going to the Congress. We’re going to need a lot of help, going to need a lot more money as we — as we identify specifically how much is needed.

So, I’m just telling everybody now. I don’t want to hear the — this is going to be the end of it.

So — and so, with that, I’ll le- — I’ll yield to the president — I mean, the vice president. (Laughter.)

[KAMALA HARRIS], THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you, Mr. President. And thank you to all of the men and women represented at the agencies that are represented by the members of the president’s Cabinet for the work that they’ve been doing around the clock.

In the wake of Hurricane Milton, we have, of course, witnessed widespread devastation. Homes and neighborhoods have been severely damaged. Millions of people are without power and thousands without clean water.

To the people of Florida, and — you must know — and to the — all of those in the region, our nation is with you. We see your incredible strength and resilience, and we are working around the clock to keep you safe. We continue to coordinate resources with local and state authorities, including food, water, medical supplies, and generators, and we will continue to work with the teams on the ground to restore water and power as quickly as possible.

In the coming days and weeks, President Biden and I will make sure that the communities that are there on the ground and have been affected will have the resources they need not only to respond to the storm but also to recover. And we will continue to keep communities in Florida, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and across the Southeast — ensured that they will recover from Hurricane Helene.

Finally, I will say once again, as Secretary Mayorkas and I have discussed, to any company or individual that is using this crisis to jack up prices through illegal fraud or price gouging, whether it be at the gas pump, the airport, or the hotel counter, we will be monitoring, and there will be a consequence.

The bottom line is this. We are in this for the long haul, and the support and the coordination between federal, state, and local authorities and leaders has been extraordinary and will continue for as long as it takes.

I thank you all.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.

(Cross-talk.)

THE PRESIDENT: Holler louder. Holler louder. I can’t hear you.

Q Mr. President, are you worried about —

Q The misinformation that you’ve been talking about that you’re so worried about? Do you —

THE PRESIDENT: Say again.

Q The misinformation that you’ve been —

THE PRESIDENT: Yes.

Q — talking about related to this hurricane and the recovery efforts. Do you think it’s temporary, or do you think and worry that this might be a permanent state of being for this country?

THE PRESIDENT: I think it’s a permanent state of being for some extreme people, but I don’t think it’s what the country is about. It’s — we’re — we’re breaking through it. We’re breaking through with the truth.

And if you’ve noticed — and I’ve really been proud of — I’ve been on the phone, talking with a lot of Republican mayors and governors. They’re standing up saying this is — not — not Joe Biden, but conservative, hardcore Republican governors, hardcore Republican mayors standing up and saying, “It’s got to stop. It’s got to stop.”

And — and I — I believe it’s — there’s nothing permanent about it. I am pleased that more Americans are coming together in a purely voluntary way. I mean, this is who the hell we are. When America is in trouble, we all jump in and try to help, help your neighbor. And that’s ma- — bas- — basically what’s happening.

But what — the thing that bothers me the most is there’s a lot of people who get caught in these crises who are basically alone — you know, widowers, wi- — widowers, people in hospitals, people who are all by themselves. And they don’t know — and they lose contact, and they get — and they just get scared to death — scared to death. And — anyway.

So, I think it’s a — I think those who have been spreading these lies to try to undermine the opposition are going to pay a price for it.

Q Mr. President, are you worried about this effect —

Q But do you think Donald Trump is singularly to blame for all of this?

THE PRESIDENT: No, he’s not singularly — but he’s just the biggest mouth.

Q Mr. President, will you ask —

Q Mr. President, have you spoken to Speaker Johnson —

THE PRESIDENT: No, I haven’t —

Q — on calling Congress back?

THE PRESIDENT: — but we’re going to — I’ve spoken to Republicans who want to speak to Speaker Johnson. And I think Speaker Johnson is going to get the message that he’s got to step up, particularly for small businesses.

Q Do you plan to meet with DeSantis in Florida?

THE PRESIDENT: I — I’ve spoken to him. If he’s a- — if he’s available, yeah. He’s been very cooperative. I’ve had no — we’ve had — we got on very, very well.

(Cross-talk.)

THE PRESIDENT: Let me —

Q Are you as- — are you asking Israel to stop hitting U.N. peacekeepers?

THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely, positively.

Q What — what about nuclear —

Q Mr. President, will you — will you approve Mr. Trump’s request to use military aircraft in the final stages of the campaign?

THE PRESIDENT: I’m sorry?

Q Will you approve Mr. Trump’s request to use military aircraft in the final stages of the campaign?

THE PRESIDENT: As long as he doesn’t ask for F-15s. No, I’m being facetious.

Look, I’ve told the department to give him every — every single thing he needs for his — at any other — as — as he were a sitting president, give all that needs. If it fits within that category, that’s fine. But if it doesn’t, he shouldn’t.

1:34 P.M. EDT

Trump’s strategy: Turn hurricane lies into election victory
by Scott Waldman, Adam Aton
E & E News, Politico
10/11/2024 06:18 AM EDT

The former president has falsely accused the Biden administration of ignoring Republican storm victims and steering disaster aid to undocumented migrants.


Former President Donald Trump speaks to the press last week as he arrives in Augusta, Georgia, to visit areas damaged during Hurricane Helene. Joe Raedle/Getty Images

First came the hurricanes. Then came the whirlwind of derision and disinformation — all aimed at the Biden administration by former President Donald Trump.

Over the last two weeks, Trump has used the twin disasters of hurricanes Helene and Milton to hammer President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their handling of the storms.

The attacks track with how Trump has approached politics since he burst onto the scene nearly a decade ago, weaving together personal insults with half-truths and outright lies.

But his focus on the storms — and the way he’s used them as a political cudgel — has morphed into one of Trump’s closing arguments in the final stretch of the 2024 presidential campaign.

“Western North Carolina, and the whole state, for that matter, has been totally and incompetently mismanaged by Harris/Biden,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene’s rampage through the southeastern United States.

“They can’t get anything done properly, but I will make up for lost time, and do it right, when I get there,” he added. “Hold on, and vote these horrible ‘public servants’ out of office. They are incapable of doing the job.”

Criticizing elected leaders for mishandling disasters isn’t anything new. President George W. Bush, for example, was widely panned for his administration’s response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

But the way Trump has deployed the storms on the campaign trail takes it to a different level. Instead of calls for unity, Trump has tried to use the disasters to incite anger against the Biden administration and rally supporters to his side.

And one of Trump’s powerful tools — and potentially one of his most dangerous — is how he’s spreading conspiracy theories and false claims to do it. On Thursday, Biden said FEMA workers responding to Hurricane Helene had received death threats due to all the misinformation.

Most of Trump’s attacks have centered on Helene, which killed at least 230 people and likely caused tens of billions of dollars in damages.

More than 8,000 federal workers have been called upon to support the response effort, according to FEMA. And as of Wednesday, $344 million in disaster aid had reached 370,000 households.

But Trump breezed past those contributions Wednesday as he took aim at both the Biden administration and Harris, his chief rival in the presidential race.

“It was disgraceful what they did,” Trump said at a rally in Reading, Pennsylvania. “She didn’t send anything or anyone at all. Days passed. No help as men, women and children drowned.”

The accusation builds on a separate line of attack Trump pursued right after the storm. He said without evidence that the Biden administration — and North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) — were “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas” affected by Hurricane Helene.

Migrants have played a starring role in Trump’s lies.

FEMA has spent $9 billion of its $20 billion annual budget in just eight days, and the agency soon could restrict spending unless Congress approves more. But Trump falsely accused FEMA of running out of money after steering the funding to undocumented immigrants instead of disaster survivors.

“The worst [hurricane response] ever, they say. They had no money. You know where they gave the money? To illegal immigrants coming in, many of whom are killers,” Trump said at a Wednesday rally in Scranton, Pennsylvania. “They’re dumping them in our country, because they think we have stupid people leading our country. And on that, I agree with them.”

That’s the latest in a pattern of Trump blending misinformation with xenophobia and racism.

When Harris ascended to the top of the Democratic ticket, Trump responded by falsely accusing the vice president of not identifying as Black until it would politically benefit her. In September, he baselessly accused Haitian immigrants of eating pets in Ohio, leading to bomb threats that shuttered schools as local and state GOP officials called for calm.

At least one Republican critic of Trump — outgoing Utah Sen. Mitt Romney — drew a connection between the former president’s falsehoods.

“Trump told us that people in Springfield are eating dogs and cats. He likewise said that FEMA money, our emergency money, instead of helping people that were hit by the hurricane is being used to help illegals,” Romney said Tuesday at the University of Utah. “I mean, he just makes it up.”

Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the GOP vice presidential nominee, has defended the pet-eating rhetoric as, alternately, a “created” story and one that came from his constituents. No incidents have been cited.

After Hurricane Helene, Trump likewise amplified conspiracy theories spreading over social media.

Hundreds of volunteer helicopter missions each day have ferried supplies and survivors through remote areas cut off by hurricane damage. Though federal authorities imposed some flight restrictions after the hurricane, especially in areas with heavy air traffic, the air space has remained open to air lifts.

“Kamala didn’t send any helicopters to rescue them,” Trump said. “And when people sent helicopters, they turned them back.”

Trump largely has focused his claims on North Carolina, which has a Democratic governor — Cooper — instead of Georgia or Florida, where Republican governors are in charge.

Vance has done the same. In a Wall Street Journal opinion piece published Tuesday, Vance falsely claimed Hurricane Helene was the deadliest U.S. storm since Katrina. In fact, Hurricane Maria killed far more people than Helene, about 3,000, when Trump was president.

“President Trump and I are realists,” Vance wrote. “We know there’s no perfect disaster recovery and that a storm like Helene will bring hardship to American towns no matter how well the government responds. But this wasn’t the response that the people of Western North Carolina deserved.”

FEMA has held multiple press briefings to combat the disinformation, and it put out a fact-checking website to dispute the false claims. On Tuesday, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said the conspiracy theories were “absolutely the worst I have ever seen” and noted they were impeding recovery work.

She said storm victims had been left confused by the attacks and that some were hesitant to register for aid as a result.

The Trump campaign pushed back on the idea it was spreading falsehoods.

“The only misinformation is coming from the Harris-Biden Administration,” Trump campaign spokesperson Caroline Sunshine said in response to questions.

“If [Trump] were in office today, the federal government would be moving at a business speed, not a bureaucratic speed, like we are unfortunately seeing happen under Kamala Harris and Joe Biden right now and lives have been lost because of it,” Sunshine said.

In the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Helene, the Biden administration and the Harris campaign largely ignored the attacks and disinformation. But in recent days, they have responded with more force.

“Former President Trump has led the onslaught of lies,” Biden told reporters Wednesday, adding, “it’s beyond ridiculous, it’s got to stop, in moments like this there are no red or blue states, there’s one United States of America, where neighbors are helping neighbors.”

During a Wednesday interview on CNN, Harris described Trump’s rhetoric as “unconscionable.”

“The last thing that people deserve is a so-called leader misleading them and making them afraid of seeking help,” she said.

At a rally in Pittsburgh on Thursday night, former President Barack Obama told the crowd that Trump’s divisive political style was harming the country.

“Having people divided and angry, he figures, boosts his chances of getting elected,” Obama said. “And he doesn’t care who gets hurt.”

Some Republicans are pushing back too — especially in the states hit hardest by the storms.

Those Republicans aren’t crossing Trump, whose grip on the party remains ironclad. Instead, they’re denouncing others who are spreading falsehoods.

“Be careful about the nonsense that gets circulated,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said at a Wednesday press conference, after his staff had started pushing back on social media posts that falsely claimed FEMA would block evacuees from returning home.

Rather than blame Trump — whom DeSantis challenged for the Republican presidential nomination before endorsing him — the governor pointed to bad actors who spread misinformation for profit, rather than political gain.

“Just know that the more titillating it is, the more likely somebody is making money off it,” DeSantis said. “And they don’t really give a damn about the wellbeing and the safety of the people that are actually in the eye of this storm.”

The rebukes haven’t been universal.

Some Republicans are promoting Trump’s conspiracy theories while adding their own. That includes Trump ally, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, who wrote on X that “they can control the weather” because some Republicans were harmed by the storms. Greene did not specify who she meant by “they.”

With less than a month before Election Day, it remains to be seen whether Trump’s attacks help or hurt his efforts to win the White House.

Voters often don’t reward the federal government for doing its job, so Harris and Biden can only lose if there are any missteps by FEMA or other federal agencies, said Alex Conant, a GOP strategist who worked in Bush’s White House during the Katrina response. But at the same time, Trump’s strategy to insert himself into disaster response is “pretty risky,” he said.

“Trump is inserting controversy into this,” he said. “That turns off the independents and moderate voters who like his policies but don’t like the constant drama.”

But Trump’s hurricane misinformation thrives in an online environment where conspiracy theories can spread quickly, said Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate.

And it intersects with two other overlapping groups: climate deniers, who traffic in conspiracy theories as a way to diminish the urgency of climate policy in response to extreme weather; and apolitical actors who see any news event as an opportunity to build their own clout.

“In the same way a superstorm is the nexus of a series of weather fronts,” he said, “what you have [here] is a superstorm of disinformation driven by different factors, which are cohering into a single event.”

Man arrested for allegedly threatening to harm FEMA workers in North Carolina. The man was armed with a handgun and rifle, according to the sheriff's office.
by Luke Barr
abc news
October 14, 2024, 3:53 PM

William Parsons, 44, was arrested Saturday for allegedly making threatening comments aimed at FEMA workers while in a gas station where authorities say he was armed with an assault rifle and handgun.

The sheriff's office in Rutherford County, NC, announced Monday that they'd arrested a man and charged him with allegedly threatening to harm Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) workers in the area.

William Parsons, 44, of Bostic, NC, was charged with "going armed to the terror of the public," according to a statement from the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office provided to ABC News.

The Rutherford County Sheriff's Office statement said deputies on Saturday investigated reports in the vicinity of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock that a "white male had an assault rifle and made the comment about possibly harming FEMA employees" working in the area. Witnesses were able to provide enough information for law enforcement to ultimately locate and identify Parsons, who was armed with a handgun and a rifle, according to the statement.

Parsons was released Saturday after posting $10,000 bond, according to the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office.

"The initial report stated there was a truckload of militia that was involved. However, after further investigation, it was determined Parsons acted alone and there were no truckloads of militia going to Lake Lure," the statement said.

According to SITE Intelligence, which tracks the online activity of extremist organizations, Parsons has promoted the militia group the Three Percenters online.


In this Sept. 30, 2024 file photo A FEMA response team member works with a guard member at Crooked Creek Fire Department near Old Fort in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene in Old Fort, N.C. Sean Rayford/Getty Images, FILE

News of the arrest came one day after the sheriff in Ashe County, NC, about two hours to the north of Rutherford County, said that there had been threats against FEMA employees responding to Hurricane Helene.

"Recently in the mountain region, there have been threats made against them," Ashe County Sheriff Phil Howell posted on Facebook regarding the alleged threats against FEMA employees.

"This has not happened in Ashe County or the surrounding counties," Howell added. "Out of an abundance of caution, they have paused their process as they are assessing the threats."

Sheriff Howell did not specify in his post who allegedly made the threats, nor is it known if Parsons' alleged threat is the one to which Sheriff Howell was referring. An ABC News request for comment sent to the Ashe County Sheriff's Office did not receive an immediate response.

Threats to FEMA employees have been consistent during the Hurricane response, along with misinformation, federal authorities told ABC News.

Search and rescue efforts in the affected areas continue, a federal source told ABC News. However, while FEMA assesses potential threat information, disaster survivor assistance teams are currently working at fixed locations and secure areas instead of going door to door, out of an abundance of caution, the source said, adding that FEMA will monitor threat information and make adjustments to this posture on a regular basis in coordination with local officials.

A FEMA spokesperson told ABC News that the agency continues to support communities impacted by Helene and to help survivors apply for assistance.

"For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments," the spokesperson said. "Disaster Recovery Centers will continue to be open as scheduled, survivors continue to register for assistance, and we continue to help the people of North Carolina with their recovery."

At the direction of North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, the state's Department of Public Safety will assist FEMA conduct their operations.

"We know that significant misinformation online contributes to threats against response workers on the ground, and the safety of responders must be a priority," the governor said. "At my direction, the North Carolina Department of Public Safety is helping partners like FEMA to coordinate with law enforcement to ensure their safety and security as they continue their important work."

Sheriff Howell said that FEMA locations in Ashe County are open this week.

"Stay calm and steady during our recovery, help folks and please don't stir the pot," he said.


Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Deanne Criswell speaks via video during a briefing with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at the White House on Oct. 9, 2024 in Washington, DC. Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told ABC News Friday during a press briefing that threats to FEMA employees are a "shame" and a "distraction."

"We continuously monitor the social media, channels, other outlets where we're seeing this information, because we want to make sure we're providing for the safest environment for our employees, and making sure that they know that their safety is first and foremost for us as they go out into these communities," Criswell said in response to a question from ABC News.

FEMA hires people from local communities when disaster hits, Criswell said, noting that "many" leave their families behind to go and help communities who are impacted by disaster.

Who is William Parsons? Armed Man Accused of Threatening FEMA Workers
by Khaleda Rahman
National Correspondent
Newsweek
Published Oct 15, 2024 at 5:53 AM EDT

A North Carolina man who allegedly threatened to harm Hurricane Helene relief workers from the Federal Emergency Management Agency was arrested on Saturday, authorities said.

William Jacob Parsons, 44, was charged with "going armed to the terror of the public," Rutherford County Sheriff's Office confirmed on Monday. He has been released on bail and denies making threats towards aid workers.

The sheriff's office said it received a call just before 1 p.m. on Saturday, about a man with an assault rifle who made a comment "about possibly harming" FEMA relief workers in the hard-hit areas of Lake Lure and Chimney Rock.

A deputy who went to the area where the threat was made was able to get a description of a suspect's vehicle and license plate, the sheriff's office said.

Authorities later identified him as 44-year-old Parsons, of Bostic, a small community about 60 miles west of Charlotte.


Image of William Jacob Parsons. The 44-year-old was charged with "going armed to the terror of the public" on Saturday, authorities confirmed. Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office

A Facebook profile, believed to belong to Parsons, features multiple posts about COVID-19 and conspiracy theories about vaccines and voting systems. Some posts also include the logo of the "Three Percenters," an anti-government militia group, U.K. news outlet the BBC reported.

Parsons denied threatening federal responders in an email to the BBC. He said he was "supporting the victims and helping with loading and unloading of water, food, clothing and other necessities for the victims of the horrendous storm."

The sheriff's office said Parsons, who was armed with a handgun and a rifle, was arrested and transported to the Rutherford County Sheriff's Detention Center, where he was charged and released after posting a $10,000 bond.

The sheriff's office said that initial reports indicated that a "truckload of militia" were involved in the threats but further investigation determined Parsons acted alone.

In response to the BBC, Parsons also denied being a member of any militia and called the U.S. government a "terrorist organization" that has "been violating our Constitutional Rights for way (too) long."

Parsons could not immediately be reached for further comment.

The Washington Post reported on Sunday that the U.S. Forest Service, which is supporting hurricane recovery efforts alongside FEMA, had sent a message to multiple federal agencies on Saturday, warning that FEMA had advised all federal responders in Rutherford County to leave the county immediately.

The message said that National Guard troops had encountered "armed militia saying they were out hunting FEMA."

FEMA confirmed to Newsweek that it adjusted operations in response to threats to its workers amid rampant misinformation about the agency's response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

"FEMA continues to support communities impacted by Helene and help survivors apply for assistance," the spokesperson said. "For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments."

The spokesperson added that that disaster recovery centers remain open and that FEMA continues "to help the people of North Carolina with their recovery."

Newsweek also learned that workers from FEMA's disaster assistance teams stopped going door-to-door as a safety precaution and were instead working from fixed locations.

Shayne Martin, a spokesperson for the Forest Service, confirmed to Newsweek that "a Forest Service liaison supporting the response to Hurricane Helene received an alert from FEMA that, in accordance with protocol, he relayed to interagency leadership" on Saturday.

Martin said the "communication was an internal one intended to help keep partners informed of the situation."

FEMA officials later on Monday said the threat turned out to be more limited than initially reported and was "mitigated by law enforcement."

"Keeping FEMA staff safe while they are helping people in disaster impacted communities is always my top priority," FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell.

‘It’s mindblowing’: US meteorologists face death threats as hurricane conspiracies surge. Storms Helene and Milton have triggered rise of misinformation stoked by Trump and fellow Republicans
by Oliver Milman
The Guardian
Fri 11 Oct 2024 06.00 EDT


Two couples who evacuated get a ride back to their home through flooding on Thursday after Hurricane Milton hit the region in Palm Harbor, Florida. Photograph: Mike Carlson/AP

Meteorologists tracking the advance of Hurricane Milton have been targeted by a deluge of conspiracy theories that they were controlling the weather, abuse, and even death threats, amid what they say is an unprecedented surge in misinformation as two major hurricanes have hit the US.

A series of falsehoods and threats have swirled in the two weeks since Hurricane Helene tore through six states causing several hundred deaths, followed by Milton crashing into Florida on Wednesday.

The extent of the misinformation, which has been stoked by Donald Trump and his followers, has been such that it has stymied the ability to help hurricane-hit communities, according to the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema).

Katie Nickolaou, a Michigan-based meteorologist, said that she and her colleagues have borne the brunt of much of these conspiracies, having received messages claiming there are category 6 hurricanes (there aren’t), that meteorologists or the government are creating and directing hurricanes (they aren’t) and even that scientists should be killed and radar equipment be demolished.

“I’ve never seen a storm garner so much misinformation, we have just been putting out fires of wrong information everywhere,” Nickolaou said.

“I have had a bunch of people saying I created and steered the hurricane, there are people assuming we control the weather. I have had to point out that a hurricane has the energy of 10,000 nuclear bombs and we can’t hope to control that. But it’s taken a turn to more violent rhetoric, especially with people saying those who created Milton should be killed.”

One post aimed at Nickolaou said: “Stop the breathing of those that made them and their affiliates.” She responded: “Murdering meteorologists won’t stop hurricanes. I can’t believe I just had to type that.”

“People have called me a plethora of curse words, people telling me to shut up and sit down, people who think it’s OK to take out Doppler radar because they think it is controlling the weather,” Nickolaou said. “It is eating up a lot of work and free time to deal with all of this. It’s very tiring.”

A wide range of misinformation has been spread as Helene and then Milton gathered pace in the Gulf of Mexico, such as claims spread by Trump that Fema had run out of cash for hurricane survivors because it has been given to illegal immigrants. Violent threats have also become common, with posts across TikTok, Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter), alleging that Fema workers should be beaten or “arrested or shot or hung on sight”.

More outlandishly, several of Trump’s closest allies have baselessly asserted that the federal government is somehow controlling hurricanes. “Hurricane Helene was an ATTACK caused by Weather Manipulation,” claimed a video shared by Michael Flynn, a former national security advisor to Trump.

-- Arizona GOP Chair Calls for Trump to 'Cross the Rubicon' in Tweet Shared by Michael Flynn, by Jason Lemon

-- Army falsely denied Flynn’s brother was involved in key part of military response to Capitol riot, by Dan Lamothe, Paul Sonne, Carol D. Leonnig and Aaron C. Davis

-- Disgrace To His Uniform’: Col. Wilkerson On Flynn’s Martial Law Election Plot, by Chris Hayes

-- General Michael Flynn is channeling cult leader Elizabeth Clare Prophet

-- Michael Flynn to QAnon Believers: I’m Not a Satanist!: Michael Flynn is finding out the hard way that surrounding himself with QAnon followers can have a pretty sharp downside, by Will Sommer

-- How Mike Flynn Became America’s Angriest General: He was one of the most respected intelligence officers of his generation. Now he's Donald Trump’s national security alter ego, goading a crowd to lock Hillary Clinton up. What happened?, by James Kitfield

-- It Seems Bad That the Guy the President Just Pardoned Is Calling for Him to Execute a Military Coup: Former White House National Security Adviser Michael Flynn has checked in with a fresh dose of patriotism, by Jack Holmes

-- Longtime Trump advisers connected to groups behind rally that led to Capitol attack: Roger Stone, Steve Bannon and Michael Flynn all promoted the Jan. 6 rally, by Will Steakin, Matthew Mosk, James Gordon Meek, and Ali Dukakis

-- D.C. National Guard chief: Pentagon took 3 hours to greenlight troops during Capitol assault: One of the military leaders who advised against deploying troops was Lt. Gen. Charles Flynn, the brother of ex-Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn, the Guard chief said, by Rebecca Shabad

-- Michael Flynn’s brother warned about 'optics' of sending uniformed troop response to Capitol siege, DC Guard chief says, by Jerry Dunleavy

-- The mystery of Mike Flynn, by Peter Bergen

-- Trump ally Michael Flynn condemned over call for ‘one religion’ in US, by Martin Pengelly

-- Trump sought to tap Sidney Powell as special counsel for election fraud: Powell, an attorney for onetime national security adviser Michael Flynn, has led the president's efforts to overturn Joe Biden's victory, by Kyle Cheney and Josh Gerstein

-- NSC head Flynn was brought down by the very spying machine he helped to build. Let’s also see this as a warning that the national security state has crossed a major line and needs to be unravelled, by Dave Lindorff

-- Flynn's Calls With Russia's Ambassador: Who Knew What, and When? A timeline of the events that led to the national-security adviser’s resignation, by Krishnadev Calamur

-- Glenn Greenwald on Flynn-Russia Leaks: Highly Illegal & Wholly Justified, by DemocracyNow!

-- Intelligence Official: Transcripts Of Flynn's Calls Don't Show Criminal Wrongdoing, by Camila Domonoske

“Yes they can control the weather,” Marjorie Taylor Greene, a far-right congresswoman, wrote on X last week. “It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done.”

This steep rise in falsehoods has drawn a sharp response from Joe Biden, who has blamed Trump for an “onslaught of lies” and told the former president to “get a life.”

“It’s beyond ridiculous,” Biden said of the claims being made around weather control. “It’s so stupid. It’s got to stop.”

Although humans can worsen hurricanes by burning fossil fuels, creating a hotter ocean and atmosphere that gives hurricanes more energy, they cannot create, control or steer individual storms. Also, Fema’s disaster relief fund for hurricane-hit communities is separate from and unaffected by the money spent on giving shelter to migrants.

But for meteorologists, the experiences around Helene and Milton are just an extreme continuation of a trend where the public is increasingly getting its information from extremist figures online rather than experts, according to Chris Gloninger, a former TV meteorologist and climate scientist who faced threats for talking about the climate crisis during his forecasts.

“The modern Republican party has an army of people who are on social media with huge followings who just disseminate this misinformation,” Gloninger said. “I’m seeing my former colleagues getting threats, I’m getting messages that we are steering hurricanes into red states. It’s mindblowing, I’ve never seen anything like this in any disaster.”

Gloninger said that meteorologists are “going to reach a point of burnout. What other profession are people targeted for simply doing their job? All we are trying to do is protect life and property during extreme weather.”

‘Vengeful’ Trump withheld disaster aid and will do so again, ex-officials warn. Former administration officials say Trump deliberately denied funds to states he deemed politically hostile
by Oliver Milman in New York
The Guardian
Sun 13 Oct 2024 06.00 EDT
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/202 ... ng-warning


Donald Trump tosses paper towels into a crowd in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, in October 2017. Photograph: Evan Vucci/AP

Donald Trump deliberately withheld disaster aid to states he deemed politically hostile to him as US president and will do so again unimpeded if he returns to the White House, several former Trump administration officials have warned.

As Hurricane Helene and then Hurricane Milton have ravaged much of the south-eastern US in the past two weeks, Trump has sought to pin blame upon Joe Biden’s administration for a ponderous response to the disasters, even suggesting that this was deliberate due to the number of Republican voters affected by the storms.

But former Trump administration officials have said the former president, when in office, initially refused to release federal disaster aid for wildfires in California in 2018, withheld wildfire assistance for Washington state in 2020, and severely restricted emergency relief to Puerto Rico in the wake of the devastating Hurricane Maria in 2017 because he felt these places were not sufficiently supportive of him.

The revelations, first reported upon by E&E News, have raised major doubts over what Trump’s response to disasters would be should he win next month’s presidential election. The former president has already been criticized for his role in spreading misinformation about Helene and Milton that has allegedly slowed the disaster response and even led to online death threats against Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) staff and meteorologists.

“Trump absolutely didn’t want to give aid to California or Puerto Rico purely for partisan politics – because they didn’t vote for him,” said Kevin Carroll, former senior counselor to the homeland security secretary John Kelly during Trump’s term. Carroll said Kelly, later the president’s chief of staff, had to “twist Trump’s arm” to get him to release the federal funding via Fema to these badly hit areas.

“It was clear that Trump was entirely self-interested and vengeful towards those he perceived didn’t vote for him,” Carroll told the Guardian. “He even wanted to pull the navy out of Hawaii because they didn’t vote for him. We were appalled – these are American civilians the government is meant to provide for. The idea of withholding aid is antithetical to everything you want from in a leader.”

The effort to overcome Trump’s reluctance to provide aid for California succeeded only after the then-president was provided voting data showing that Orange county, heavily damaged by the wildfires, has large numbers of Republican voters, according to Olivia Troye, who was a homeland security adviser to the Trump White House.

“We had to sit around and brainstorm a way where he would agree to this because he looked at everything through a political lens,” Troye told the Guardian. “There were instances where disaster declarations would sit on his desk for days, we’d get phone calls all the time on how to speed things up, sometimes we had to get [Vice-President] Mike Pence to weigh in.

“It was shocking and appalling to us to see a president of the United States behaving in this way. Basically if it doesn’t benefit him, he’s not interested. We saw this in the Covid pandemic too, when it was red states versus blue states, and it’s still evident in his demeanor now, where he’s politicizing disaster response. It’s dangerous and reckless.”

One of the most “egregious” delays, Troye said, came after Hurricane Maria smashed into Puerto Rico, causing widespread damage and nearly 3,000 deaths. In the wake of the disaster, Trump claimed the death toll had been inflated “to make me look as bad as possible”, called the mayor of San Juan “crazed and incompetent”, and halted billions of dollars of federal support for the island.

Ultimately, Fema covered debris cleanup in Puerto Rico, and Trump visited the US territory, throwing paper towels to hurricane survivors. But not all recovery costs for the island were paid for by the federal government, with an independent inspector general report finding that Fema mismanaged the distribution of aid following Maria.

This came just months before Trump agreed to pay 100% of Florida’s costs after the state was hit by Hurricane Michael. “They love me in the Panhandle,” Trump said, according to an autobiography written by Ron DeSantis, Florida’s Republican governor. “I must have won 90% of the vote out there. Huge crowds. What do they need?”

While officials around Trump were able to persuade him to relent somewhat in these instances, the former president held firm in refusing to provide disaster relief to Washington after wildfires ravaged the east of the state, largely destroying the communities of Malden and Pine City, in 2020.

For months, Trump denied Washington’s request for federal help due to his dislike of Jay Inslee, the state’s Democratic governor and a prominent critic, according to an aide of Cathy McMorris Rodgers, a Republican congresswoman whose district was scorched by wildfires.

McMorris Rodgers wrote to Trump to side with him in his dispute with Inslee while pleading with the president to release the funding. “Despite our governor’s bad faith personal vendetta against your administration, people in my district need support, and I implore you to move forward in providing it to those who have been impacted by devastating wildfires in our region,” McMorris Rodgers wrote.


Trump leads a coronavirus taskforce meeting in April 2020. Photograph: Joshua Roberts/Reuters

Trump, however, did not agree to provide the help, which was only given once Joe Biden came into office. “Trump consciously and maliciously withheld assistance in a fit of juvenile pique because my state had the effrontery to question his policies,” Inslee told the Guardian.

“What’s so stunning is that Trump enjoys his authoritarian instincts in refusing to help people. Most human beings would feel guilt in punishing people in pain whose homes are in ashes or are under 8ft of water. It’s a window into the darkness of his soul, frankly. We’ve seen with North Carolina again that he will use natural disasters for his own purposes and his fragile ego. He’s a clear and present danger.”

Carroll and Troye, former Trump administration officials, predicted there would be fewer constraints on Trump withholding disaster aid should he win another term in the White House. Several Trump allies, including those who wrote the Project 2025 conservative manifesto, have called for the Republican nominee to root out dissenters and install obedient political apparatchiks within the federal government to help enact his wishes.

“Next time you won’t have the integrity of Mike Pence: you’ll have JD Vance who will do whatever Trump wants,” said Troye, who is a Republican but has endorsed Kamala Harris for president. “It’s concerning to think about a future Trump administration with just loyalists in these positions around him in these sort of moments that should be non-partisan.

“I hope voters are paying close attention to contrast between the responsible leadership shown by Biden and Harris and the dangerous demeanor of Donald Trump.”

Just last month, Trump signaled that his deal-making over disaster aid would not change if he were president again, warning that he would block assistance to California unless the state’s governor, Gavin Newsom, agreed to deliver more water to farmers.

“Gavin Newscum [Newsom] is going to sign those papers,” Trump said from his golf course in California. “If he doesn’t sign those papers, we won’t give him money to put out all his fires, and if we don’t give him the money to put out his fires, he’s got problems.”

Karoline Leavitt, national press secretary of the Trump campaign, did not answer questions regarding the allegations made by Carroll and Troye, and instead referenced efforts by Trump to improve forest wildfire management and repeated debunked claims that disaster relief money has been diverted by Fema to migrants.

“President Trump visited Georgia twice in one week to tour destruction from Hurricane Helene and has encouraged his supporters to donate more than $6m for relief efforts on the ground,” she said.

“Kamala Harris stole $1bn from Fema to pay for illegal migrant housing and now there’s nothing left for struggling American citizens. President Trump is leading during this tragic moment while, once again, Kamala leaves Americans behind.”