Trump and Musk Amplify Disinformation About Helene And Milton, Undermining Hurricane Relief Efforts And Putting Lives At Risk

State and federal officials are combating misinformation spread during hurricane recovery efforts, particularly on social media platforms like X. Conspiracy theories, amplified by Elon Musk and Donald Trump, falsely claim that FEMA has redirected relief funds or that the government is engineering hurricanes. Such falsehoods and hate speech risk public safety by encouraging mistrust in relief efforts. Officials are addressing these rumors while investigating potential foreign involvement in spreading disinformation.