New York CNN —
False claims about the federal response to the historic devastation left by Hurricane Helene are spreading out of control on social media, hampering recovery efforts in hard-hit areas, according to local officials.
The flood of misinformation targeting the Biden administration’s response to the destructive storm is an ominous sign for the coming election, with the presidential contest between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris sure to trigger further attacks on the truth.
“If you think the lies and distortions and know-nothing takes about FEMA are bad, just wait until this time next month,” Tim Alberta, The Atlantic staff writer and author, wrote on X, one of the primary platforms where falsehoods have spread faster than facts.
Elon Musk, the X owner who has endorsed Trump, has repeatedly posted rumors and innuendo denigrating the federal government’s response to Helene. Most of the misinformation is brazenly political, portraying President Joe Biden and Harris as incompetent in an attempt to help Trump win reelection.
With misinformation swirling in Hurricane Helene’s wake, officials urge residents to ‘stop this conspiracy theory junk’
Politicians and emergency responders in the disaster zone stretching from Georgia to North Carolina, including many Republican elected officials, have refuted the lies and urged people to stop sharing unsupported rumors on social media.
Kerry Giles, the public information officer for Rutherford...
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