Donald Trump lies. He lies a lot. And in the final month of this presidential campaign, he’s only become more prone to making things up for political gain.
As Hurricane Helene ravaged the southeastern United States last week, leaving over 200 dead and countless others in dire need of assistance, one might hope for unity and clear communication from our leaders. Instead, we’re witnessing a flood of misinformation, much of it emanating from former President Trump and his allies on the right.
Trump has spread baseless claims about the federal response to Helene on social media and in public appearances. Without a shred of evidence, he’s accused the Biden administration and North Carolina’s Democratic Governor Roy Cooper of withholding or diverting relief funds from Republican areas. “A billion dollars was stolen from FEMA [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] to use it for illegal migrants,” Trump alleged on Friday.
Let’s be clear: There’s absolutely no evidence to support these accusations. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell has refuted these claims, emphasizing the danger they pose. “This level of misinformation creates the scenario where they won’t even come to us,” Criswell said in a press conference on Friday. “They won’t even register, and I need people to register so they can get what they’re eligible for through our programs.”
On Saturday, North Carolina’s widely read The Charlotte Observer took Trump to task for “worsening NC’s Helene tragedy with political........