Elon Musk Contributes to Hurricane Misinformation, Obstructing Relief Operations
The billionaire is leveraging his social media platform to disseminate misinformation, which officials claim is obstructing recovery efforts.
TroibNews 
Elon Musk is leveraging his social media platform to disseminate election-related conspiracy theories concerning U.S. disasters, coinciding with the federal response challenges posed by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
Musk has propagated claims that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) "actively blocked" donations to those affected by Helene and is "seizing goods … and locking them away to state they are their own." FEMA officials have labeled these allegations as false, contradicting the praise from state and local Republican leaders for the federal support.
On X, Musk has also circulated rumors suggesting that North Carolina authorities had “taken control to stop people helping” affected residents and that local sheriffs threatened to arrest FEMA personnel “if they hinder rescue and aid work.” Many of Musk's allegations focused on the assertion that immigrants have already drained federal disaster funds, which FEMA has publicly denied.
“FEMA used up its budget ferrying illegals into the country instead of saving American lives. Treason,” Musk wrote on X, blending messages about hurricane damage with political attacks on Democrats.
Aside from his ownership of X, Musk holds the title of the world’s richest individual, serves as CEO of Tesla, and leads SpaceX, a federal contractor utilizing its Starlink satellite service to reestablish communication in communities severely impacted by Helene's extensive flooding in the Southeast. Musk is also a significant donor to former President Donald Trump, who has made unfounded claims that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas."
While not directly referencing Musk or Trump, FEMA leaders expressed that misinformation is creating additional obstacles for Helene survivors, some of whom are deterred from seeking assistance. They emphasized that the spread of falsehoods is also affecting emergency responders' morale amid safety threats.
The wave of false conspiracy theories “is absolutely the worst I have ever seen,” remarked FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell during a Tuesday morning call with reporters. She noted that the agency has long maintained a rumor control page to counter the scams that typically arise after disasters. “I anticipated some of this, but not to the extent that we’re seeing.”
Criswell described it as “really unfortunate that [people] continue to try to create this level of fear in these communities that is impeding our ability to do our job at the level that we need to do it, but we’re not going to let it deter us. We are going to continue to be in these communities and support them for whatever they need.”
FEMA and other agencies are currently aiding residents in states like Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina in the wake of Helene, with similar efforts expected soon in Florida as Hurricane Milton approaches.
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican, has also condemned those spreading false rumors and conspiracy theories.
"Many of these observations are not even from people on the ground," Tillis stated Sunday on CBS’s "Face the Nation." "I believe that we have to stay focused on rescue operations, recovery operations, clearing operations, and we don't need any of these distractions on the ground. It's at the expense of the hard-working first responders and people that are just trying to recover their lives."
Vice President Harris accused Trump and his allies of “playing political games” while lives remain at risk due to storm damage.
“It’s profound and it is the height of irresponsibility and frankly callousness,” Harris said Tuesday on "The View."
The misinformation campaign spearheaded by Musk coincides with the presidential election season, amplifying political attacks while two crucial swing states contend with the aftermath of Helene. Florida is also bracing for Hurricane Milton, which is predicted to make landfall on Wednesday.
Federal officials have cautioned that Milton could bring life-threatening storm surges to large areas of Florida’s at-risk west coast, with the initial tropical storm-force winds expected to reach land as early as Wednesday morning. The Category 4 hurricane was recorded at 155 mph as of Tuesday afternoon and has already set a record as the third-fastest intensifying tropical cyclone on record, according to National Weather Service Director Ken Graham.
Concerns are particularly high regarding Milton’s potential trajectory into or near Tampa Bay, an area with over 3 million residents that has not experienced a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921. The economic impact of such a storm could reach hundreds of billions of dollars, regional planners warn.
“It’s a very serious situation,” Graham added.
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in counties along the Florida Gulf Coast in anticipation of Milton, with forecasts predicting 10 to 15 feet of storm surge impacting communities already recovering from Helene’s flooding. Many survivors are likely facing significant challenges in rebuilding their homes and lives upon their return.
FEMA leaders pointed out that misinformation about natural disasters complicates the logistics of disaster response, which often relies on survivors cooperating with various authorities. They warned that conspiracy theories are already hindering rescue and recovery efforts.
Keith Turi, FEMA’s acting associate administrator for response and recovery, outlined false rumors—such as FEMA “confiscating supplies” or providing only $750 in total assistance to storm victims—that are undermining the agency’s effectiveness.
“The misinformation is extremely damaging to the response efforts from Helene and from any disaster,” Turi stated. “It is reducing the likelihood that survivors will come to FEMA in a trusting way to register for assistance.”
He noted that governors, many of whom are Republicans in the affected regions, have played a role in dispelling some of the inaccuracies. “We've had nothing but positive engagement with them and coordination and also recognition that we all need to work together for combating misinformation and making sure that everybody has the best information that they need,” Turi remarked.
As communication lines in heavily impacted areas remain disrupted and reliable accounts of disaster recovery are scarce, figures like Musk and other far-right influencers have seized the opportunity to spread misinformation and conspiracy theories, according to Michael Rothschild, a conspiracy theory expert and author of “The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything.”
“No one else is telling you anything, so you're going with the information that is being put in front of you and that already kind of ties into the things that you already believe,” Rothschild said. “So if you already believe that the federal government is corrupt and that Kamala Harris would put her thumb on the scale to interfere with disaster relief efforts to kill off Trump voters, well, you're going to share things that reaffirm that belief.”
Musk has cultivated a significant audience that perceives him as a “forbidden truth-teller," which facilitates the rapid amplification of his falsehoods, according to Rothschild.
“Republicans, Democrats and nonpartisan officials have pushed back on the claims from Musk,” along with similar accusations from Trump, who has gone even further in falsely claiming that Democrats are blocking aid to Republican-leaning areas. GOP officials from these regions have stated that there has been close communication with federal agencies and officials.
Musk’s promotion of these conspiracy theories aligns with his plans to campaign for Trump in the upcoming month, particularly in Pennsylvania leading up to November's election.
In response to Musk and Trump’s assertions that FEMA had run out of funds due to migrants, the agency has issued statements refuting this claim: “This is false. No money is being diverted from disaster response needs.”
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, criticized both Trump and Musk for disseminating conspiracy theories and misinformation.
“As we continue our unprecedented response to Hurricane Helene, the nation is beginning to understand that impacted areas have been the target of a relentless vortex of disinformation, dialed up by bad actors and platforms like X,” Cooper wrote on Musk’s social network. “Politicians, billionaires and grifters who peddle lies during a time of crisis should be held accountable.”
On Friday, after Musk expressed frustrations over “belligerent government incompetence” by FEMA and the Federal Aviation Administration halting helicopter deliveries of Starlink devices, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg responded via Twitter: “No one is shutting down the airspace and FAA doesn’t block legitimate rescue and recovery flights.” He also encouraged Musk to “give me a call.”
Buttigieg later attributed Musk’s grievances to a misunderstanding regarding the process of flying into a disaster zone.
“What we found out was actually happening was the FAA was not closing down any airspace,” Buttigieg said Sunday on MSNBC. “But there was an issue with pilots who were helping get Starlink equipment to where it needed to be, having the right information. We worked that out with local authorities and were able to take care of it.”
Following their conversation on Friday, Musk expressed gratitude to Buttigieg on X, stating: “Just wanted to note that Sec Buttigieg is on the ball.” In a Monday interview with Tucker Carlson on X, Musk acknowledged Buttigieg’s role in alleviating “insane” flight planning requirements.
“I want to give Buttigieg some credit here,” Musk remarked. “When I complained about it, he reacted in a very levelheaded way. And he reached out to me, and he called me. And we discussed the issue, got to the bottom of it, and he fixed it.”
Musk and X have not responded to requests for comment.
A Transportation Department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, clarified that Buttigieg did not personally intervene to facilitate flights. Rather, the discussion mainly involved guiding Musk through the protocols surrounding flight restrictions and who he could contact for more information.
The FAA maintains a notice system that informs pilots—which they are expected to check prior to any flights—about areas where they can and cannot operate. Pilots with legitimate relief purposes can request permission to fly in those areas, a process that was already established by the time Musk made his initial claim.
Becca Gallas, director of North Carolina’s Department of Transportation aviation division, asserted that coordination between various agencies regarding flight restrictions and notifications had been underway “well in advance of any external influence.”
Gallas clarified that NCDOT had not altered those procedures or eliminated any bureaucratic hurdles for the Starlink and supply relief flights.
Internationally, Musk and X have faced repercussions because of what other governments have described as disinformation and hate speech.
Brazil’s top court this year barred X from operating within the country after the company allegedly failed to deactivate accounts promoting illegal disinformation and hate speech. After contesting the ruling as an infringement on free speech, X removed some accounts and is attempting to have the ban lifted.
The European Union has also accused X of violating its social media regulations, asserting that the platform aids the spread of misleading disinformation.
Closer to home in the U.S., some Republican state legislators have urged conservative media influencers to stop disseminating falsehoods.
“PLEASE help stop this junk,” implored GOP North Carolina state Senator Kevin Corbin on Facebook on October 3, referencing unfounded claims such as Antarctic weather control, land grabs over lithium, and FEMA stealing donations.
Corbin noted that a fellow lawmaker had received 15 calls in one day concerning these false rumors, adding, “I’m growing a bit weary of intentional distractions.”
The following day, Musk shared several of those same falsehoods with his 200 million followers, accompanied by a simple reaction: “Wow.”
Zack Colman, Oriana Pawlyk, and Mike Lee contributed to this report.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
Musk has propagated claims that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) "actively blocked" donations to those affected by Helene and is "seizing goods … and locking them away to state they are their own." FEMA officials have labeled these allegations as false, contradicting the praise from state and local Republican leaders for the federal support.
On X, Musk has also circulated rumors suggesting that North Carolina authorities had “taken control to stop people helping” affected residents and that local sheriffs threatened to arrest FEMA personnel “if they hinder rescue and aid work.” Many of Musk's allegations focused on the assertion that immigrants have already drained federal disaster funds, which FEMA has publicly denied.
“FEMA used up its budget ferrying illegals into the country instead of saving American lives. Treason,” Musk wrote on X, blending messages about hurricane damage with political attacks on Democrats.
Aside from his ownership of X, Musk holds the title of the world’s richest individual, serves as CEO of Tesla, and leads SpaceX, a federal contractor utilizing its Starlink satellite service to reestablish communication in communities severely impacted by Helene's extensive flooding in the Southeast. Musk is also a significant donor to former President Donald Trump, who has made unfounded claims that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are “going out of their way to not help people in Republican areas."
While not directly referencing Musk or Trump, FEMA leaders expressed that misinformation is creating additional obstacles for Helene survivors, some of whom are deterred from seeking assistance. They emphasized that the spread of falsehoods is also affecting emergency responders' morale amid safety threats.
The wave of false conspiracy theories “is absolutely the worst I have ever seen,” remarked FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell during a Tuesday morning call with reporters. She noted that the agency has long maintained a rumor control page to counter the scams that typically arise after disasters. “I anticipated some of this, but not to the extent that we’re seeing.”
Criswell described it as “really unfortunate that [people] continue to try to create this level of fear in these communities that is impeding our ability to do our job at the level that we need to do it, but we’re not going to let it deter us. We are going to continue to be in these communities and support them for whatever they need.”
FEMA and other agencies are currently aiding residents in states like Florida, Georgia, and North Carolina in the wake of Helene, with similar efforts expected soon in Florida as Hurricane Milton approaches.
North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican, has also condemned those spreading false rumors and conspiracy theories.
"Many of these observations are not even from people on the ground," Tillis stated Sunday on CBS’s "Face the Nation." "I believe that we have to stay focused on rescue operations, recovery operations, clearing operations, and we don't need any of these distractions on the ground. It's at the expense of the hard-working first responders and people that are just trying to recover their lives."
Vice President Harris accused Trump and his allies of “playing political games” while lives remain at risk due to storm damage.
“It’s profound and it is the height of irresponsibility and frankly callousness,” Harris said Tuesday on "The View."
The misinformation campaign spearheaded by Musk coincides with the presidential election season, amplifying political attacks while two crucial swing states contend with the aftermath of Helene. Florida is also bracing for Hurricane Milton, which is predicted to make landfall on Wednesday.
Federal officials have cautioned that Milton could bring life-threatening storm surges to large areas of Florida’s at-risk west coast, with the initial tropical storm-force winds expected to reach land as early as Wednesday morning. The Category 4 hurricane was recorded at 155 mph as of Tuesday afternoon and has already set a record as the third-fastest intensifying tropical cyclone on record, according to National Weather Service Director Ken Graham.
Concerns are particularly high regarding Milton’s potential trajectory into or near Tampa Bay, an area with over 3 million residents that has not experienced a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921. The economic impact of such a storm could reach hundreds of billions of dollars, regional planners warn.
“It’s a very serious situation,” Graham added.
Mandatory evacuations have been ordered in counties along the Florida Gulf Coast in anticipation of Milton, with forecasts predicting 10 to 15 feet of storm surge impacting communities already recovering from Helene’s flooding. Many survivors are likely facing significant challenges in rebuilding their homes and lives upon their return.
FEMA leaders pointed out that misinformation about natural disasters complicates the logistics of disaster response, which often relies on survivors cooperating with various authorities. They warned that conspiracy theories are already hindering rescue and recovery efforts.
Keith Turi, FEMA’s acting associate administrator for response and recovery, outlined false rumors—such as FEMA “confiscating supplies” or providing only $750 in total assistance to storm victims—that are undermining the agency’s effectiveness.
“The misinformation is extremely damaging to the response efforts from Helene and from any disaster,” Turi stated. “It is reducing the likelihood that survivors will come to FEMA in a trusting way to register for assistance.”
He noted that governors, many of whom are Republicans in the affected regions, have played a role in dispelling some of the inaccuracies. “We've had nothing but positive engagement with them and coordination and also recognition that we all need to work together for combating misinformation and making sure that everybody has the best information that they need,” Turi remarked.
As communication lines in heavily impacted areas remain disrupted and reliable accounts of disaster recovery are scarce, figures like Musk and other far-right influencers have seized the opportunity to spread misinformation and conspiracy theories, according to Michael Rothschild, a conspiracy theory expert and author of “The Storm Is Upon Us: How QAnon Became a Movement, Cult, and Conspiracy Theory of Everything.”
“No one else is telling you anything, so you're going with the information that is being put in front of you and that already kind of ties into the things that you already believe,” Rothschild said. “So if you already believe that the federal government is corrupt and that Kamala Harris would put her thumb on the scale to interfere with disaster relief efforts to kill off Trump voters, well, you're going to share things that reaffirm that belief.”
Musk has cultivated a significant audience that perceives him as a “forbidden truth-teller," which facilitates the rapid amplification of his falsehoods, according to Rothschild.
“Republicans, Democrats and nonpartisan officials have pushed back on the claims from Musk,” along with similar accusations from Trump, who has gone even further in falsely claiming that Democrats are blocking aid to Republican-leaning areas. GOP officials from these regions have stated that there has been close communication with federal agencies and officials.
Musk’s promotion of these conspiracy theories aligns with his plans to campaign for Trump in the upcoming month, particularly in Pennsylvania leading up to November's election.
In response to Musk and Trump’s assertions that FEMA had run out of funds due to migrants, the agency has issued statements refuting this claim: “This is false. No money is being diverted from disaster response needs.”
North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper, a Democrat, criticized both Trump and Musk for disseminating conspiracy theories and misinformation.
“As we continue our unprecedented response to Hurricane Helene, the nation is beginning to understand that impacted areas have been the target of a relentless vortex of disinformation, dialed up by bad actors and platforms like X,” Cooper wrote on Musk’s social network. “Politicians, billionaires and grifters who peddle lies during a time of crisis should be held accountable.”
On Friday, after Musk expressed frustrations over “belligerent government incompetence” by FEMA and the Federal Aviation Administration halting helicopter deliveries of Starlink devices, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg responded via Twitter: “No one is shutting down the airspace and FAA doesn’t block legitimate rescue and recovery flights.” He also encouraged Musk to “give me a call.”
Buttigieg later attributed Musk’s grievances to a misunderstanding regarding the process of flying into a disaster zone.
“What we found out was actually happening was the FAA was not closing down any airspace,” Buttigieg said Sunday on MSNBC. “But there was an issue with pilots who were helping get Starlink equipment to where it needed to be, having the right information. We worked that out with local authorities and were able to take care of it.”
Following their conversation on Friday, Musk expressed gratitude to Buttigieg on X, stating: “Just wanted to note that Sec Buttigieg is on the ball.” In a Monday interview with Tucker Carlson on X, Musk acknowledged Buttigieg’s role in alleviating “insane” flight planning requirements.
“I want to give Buttigieg some credit here,” Musk remarked. “When I complained about it, he reacted in a very levelheaded way. And he reached out to me, and he called me. And we discussed the issue, got to the bottom of it, and he fixed it.”
Musk and X have not responded to requests for comment.
A Transportation Department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, clarified that Buttigieg did not personally intervene to facilitate flights. Rather, the discussion mainly involved guiding Musk through the protocols surrounding flight restrictions and who he could contact for more information.
The FAA maintains a notice system that informs pilots—which they are expected to check prior to any flights—about areas where they can and cannot operate. Pilots with legitimate relief purposes can request permission to fly in those areas, a process that was already established by the time Musk made his initial claim.
Becca Gallas, director of North Carolina’s Department of Transportation aviation division, asserted that coordination between various agencies regarding flight restrictions and notifications had been underway “well in advance of any external influence.”
Gallas clarified that NCDOT had not altered those procedures or eliminated any bureaucratic hurdles for the Starlink and supply relief flights.
Internationally, Musk and X have faced repercussions because of what other governments have described as disinformation and hate speech.
Brazil’s top court this year barred X from operating within the country after the company allegedly failed to deactivate accounts promoting illegal disinformation and hate speech. After contesting the ruling as an infringement on free speech, X removed some accounts and is attempting to have the ban lifted.
The European Union has also accused X of violating its social media regulations, asserting that the platform aids the spread of misleading disinformation.
Closer to home in the U.S., some Republican state legislators have urged conservative media influencers to stop disseminating falsehoods.
“PLEASE help stop this junk,” implored GOP North Carolina state Senator Kevin Corbin on Facebook on October 3, referencing unfounded claims such as Antarctic weather control, land grabs over lithium, and FEMA stealing donations.
Corbin noted that a fellow lawmaker had received 15 calls in one day concerning these false rumors, adding, “I’m growing a bit weary of intentional distractions.”
The following day, Musk shared several of those same falsehoods with his 200 million followers, accompanied by a simple reaction: “Wow.”
Zack Colman, Oriana Pawlyk, and Mike Lee contributed to this report.
Max Fischer for TROIB News
