Excessive misinformation and insufficient financial resources pose challenges during hurricane-stricken election periods
As recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene carry on, preparations for Hurricane Milton are testing the country's storm readiness and sparking a political dispute over misinformation.
Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic party's nominee, countered against former President Donald Trump's "mis- and dis-information" during a press conference at Joint Base Andrews. She labeled it "extremely reckless," and stated that people who need aid from the government should be able to receive it.
Less than two weeks have passed since Hurricane Helene swiftly ravaged the American Southeast, causing destruction in areas of Appalachia unaccustomed to storm surges and claiming over 200 lives.
Milton, which escalated to Category 5 strength at an astonishing pace, is heading for a collision with the Florida coastline. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell predicted on CNN that Milton would be a "historic" storm.
Officials along the Gulf Coast are urging residents to evacuate prior to the storm's arrival later this week.
Related: Get the latest news from CNN on both storms
Storms often play a role in American political discussions, particularly in election years. Typically, politicians put aside their party differences to expedite federal funding to disaster-stricken areas.
Misinformation complicates disaster relief
Differently this year, however, ex-President Donald Trump has been disseminating misinformation in an attempt to gain some political advantage from the disasters.
Investigations by CNN's Daniel Dale revealed multiple false claims made by Trump in the aftermath of Helene, such as:
►Claiming a billion dollars was "stolen" from FEMA and misused for migrants
►Stubbornly asserting that FEMA is only offering $750 in aid to individuals who lost their homes
►Falsely stating that there is no rescue or emergency assistance available in North Carolina
For more detailed information on these claims and others, see Dale's report.
‘Ludicrous and utterly unfounded...’
In an attempt to clarify the situation, FEMA launched a special website to combat these misconceptions.
Criswell explained on ABC News' This Week that the notion that FEMA funds have gone to immigrants or that Republican states are being neglected is "ludicrous and utterly unfounded." She also expressed concern about the impact such falsehoods have on first responders, describing it as "truly regrettable" that politics is being prioritized over helping people.
Despite evidence to the contrary, some of Trump's supporters persist in believing his claims.
On Sunday, CNN's Dana Bash engaged in a contentious debate with RNC co-chair Lara Trump (also former President Trump's daughter-in-law) when Bash presented evidence that the claim that FEMA is only offering $750 to people whose homes have been destroyed is false. Lara Trump refused to acknowledge this.
Bash aired comments from North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, who stated that the government is doing its best in this situation.
“For anyone claiming that any level of government could have been fully prepared for the circumstances we're currently facing is clearly ill-informed,” Tillis said. “However, at the present time, I'm here to say that we're working diligently.”
Tillis was also questioned about Trump's false claims, and his response was carefully worded.
“We could potentially discuss the failure of this administration's border policies and their associated costs,” he said on CBS News' Face the Nation on Sunday. “But currently, the flow of resources to western North Carolina has not been impacted.”
Hurricanes have a tendency to feature prominently in election years. New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie faced criticism from some Republicans just before the 2012 election for appearing with then-President Barack Obama after Superstorm Sandy.
Politics can affect disaster funding
Tensions arose during the following election debate regarding how much money should be allocated for Sandy relief. Some Republicans argued for budget cuts elsewhere.
When Trump was president, he actually reallocated funds from FEMA for immigration-related programs, a move he now falsely accuses the current administration of making, albeit without impacting funding for Puerto Rico, which was grappling with the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, according to a CNN Fact Check at the time.
Politico's E&E News also published a report this week quoting a former Trump aide who explained that Trump had to be persuaded to offer California disaster relief for wildfires in 2018 by being shown that there were Republican voters in Orange County.
More funding will be required
Tillis acknowledged that FEMA will likely need additional funding this year and suggested that lawmakers should return to session sooner to ensure that FEMA does not run out of funds.
On This Week, Criswell stated that FEMA currently has the necessary resources. However, last week, Department of Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas warned that FEMA's disaster recovery fund was running low and may not be sufficient to "last through the season."
Hurricane season generally extends through November.
When lawmakers voted on a temporary funding bill to extend government operations beyond Election Day, they chose not to add $10 billion to FEMA's disaster relief fund, which has dwindled this year following a series of natural disasters.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, also appearing on This Week, expressed a different view of FEMA's response and opposed the idea that lawmakers must return to session before Election Day.
Johnson voiced his disapproval of FEMA's handling of Helene's situation at a federal level, labeling it as "a major blunder." Yet, he expressed no urgency to head back to Washington for further aid legislation.
"We'll resume our meetings right after the elections, which is 30 days from now," Johnson mentioned during a Sunday interview. He admitted that an accurate estimate of additional aid required would take time to ascertain.
Former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate, in an appearance on CNN the next day, echoed similar thoughts. He judged that FEMA had enough funds for the initial response, but extra funds would be required shortly. Relaxed about Congress's involvement, Fugate remarked, "I've experienced this in past disasters. To my knowledge, Congress has never allowed FEMA to exhaust its resources during a response."
The political dispute over misinformation regarding Hurricane Milton's aftermath is causing divisiveness within the country, as prominent figures like former President Donald Trump continue to spread false claims about disaster relief efforts.
In the wake of these misleading statements, Vice President Kamala Harris and other Democratic officials have strongly criticized Trump's actions, emphasizing the importance of prioritizing aid to those in need rather than using disasters for political gain.
