Florida Representative Suggests MTG Should Have Her 'Head Examined' Following Weather Remarks
Republican Rep. Carlos Gimenez expressed on social media, "Humans cannot create or control hurricanes.”
TroibNews 
Florida Representative Carlos Gimenez expressed a strong rebuttal on Wednesday towards GOP Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and others who believe that humans can manipulate the weather, stating they need "to have their head examined."
Gimenez's criticism of Greene comes at a critical time as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida's Gulf Coast, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene last month, which resulted in extensive damage throughout the Southeastern U.S. The two storms have coincided with a rise in conspiracy theories, particularly fueled by Greene's comments on social media. Last week, she claimed, “Yes they can control the weather,” and added, “It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done,” although it remains unclear who she refers to as “they.”
In a direct response to Greene, Gimenez stated on X, “NEW FLASH —> Humans cannot create or control hurricanes. Anyone who thinks they can, needs to have their head examined.”
Greene has continued to defend her views, sharing a meme that references various patents as supposed evidence of weather control capabilities. Additionally, she linked to an article from the ultra-conservative Gateway Pundit, which discussed scientific practices like cloud seeding as purported proof of weather manipulation.
A spokesperson for Greene's office has not responded to a request for comments.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, which has resulted in over 200 fatalities, misinformation has been proliferating on social media, notably from high-profile individuals like Greene and billionaire Elon Musk, owner of X. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell remarked on Tuesday that the conspiracy theories, particularly those targeting the agency, are “absolutely the worst I have ever seen.” Some of the unfounded claims include accusations that federal responders are misappropriating disaster funds for immigrants.
As Hurricane Milton approaches, Christina Pushaw, spokesperson for Governor Ron DeSantis, urged people to be cautious of "outlandish claims" circulating online, while also criticizing news outlets as unreliable.
"If you wouldn’t believe a New York Times story based solely on 'anonymous sources', you shouldn’t believe engagement-baiting posts like these that make outlandish claims without evidence," Pushaw posted on X alongside examples of misleading posts that received significant engagement.
She also noted, "Likewise, you shouldn't believe every tiktok video of someone crying in their car. Anyone can post anything for engagement; there's no way to verify if they're telling the truth. Natural disasters like hurricanes are prime topics for online engagement-farming because people are paying attention to it."
In response to Greene and other spreading conspiracies, North Carolina Republican Representative Chuck Edwards, whose district was adversely affected by Helene, took to his website to systematically challenge the claims.
“Nobody can control the weather,” Edwards asserted in a message to his constituents.
He advised, “I encourage you to remember that everything you see on Facebook, X, or any other social media platform is not always fact. Please make sure you are fact-checking what you read online with a reputable source.”
President Joe Biden labeled the dissemination of misinformation as “un-American” during a briefing on Tuesday, stating, “People are scared to death, people know their lives are at stake.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas emphasized the detrimental effects of "deliberately false information" during an interview on CNN Wednesday morning.
"It is demoralizing to the men and women at the federal level, at the state and local level, who are actually risking their lives to save others and to bring much-needed relief to those who need it," Mayorkas explained on CNN.
Emmy Martin contributed to this report.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
Gimenez's criticism of Greene comes at a critical time as Hurricane Milton approaches Florida's Gulf Coast, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene last month, which resulted in extensive damage throughout the Southeastern U.S. The two storms have coincided with a rise in conspiracy theories, particularly fueled by Greene's comments on social media. Last week, she claimed, “Yes they can control the weather,” and added, “It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done,” although it remains unclear who she refers to as “they.”
In a direct response to Greene, Gimenez stated on X, “NEW FLASH —> Humans cannot create or control hurricanes. Anyone who thinks they can, needs to have their head examined.”
Greene has continued to defend her views, sharing a meme that references various patents as supposed evidence of weather control capabilities. Additionally, she linked to an article from the ultra-conservative Gateway Pundit, which discussed scientific practices like cloud seeding as purported proof of weather manipulation.
A spokesperson for Greene's office has not responded to a request for comments.
In the wake of Hurricane Helene, which has resulted in over 200 fatalities, misinformation has been proliferating on social media, notably from high-profile individuals like Greene and billionaire Elon Musk, owner of X. FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell remarked on Tuesday that the conspiracy theories, particularly those targeting the agency, are “absolutely the worst I have ever seen.” Some of the unfounded claims include accusations that federal responders are misappropriating disaster funds for immigrants.
As Hurricane Milton approaches, Christina Pushaw, spokesperson for Governor Ron DeSantis, urged people to be cautious of "outlandish claims" circulating online, while also criticizing news outlets as unreliable.
"If you wouldn’t believe a New York Times story based solely on 'anonymous sources', you shouldn’t believe engagement-baiting posts like these that make outlandish claims without evidence," Pushaw posted on X alongside examples of misleading posts that received significant engagement.
She also noted, "Likewise, you shouldn't believe every tiktok video of someone crying in their car. Anyone can post anything for engagement; there's no way to verify if they're telling the truth. Natural disasters like hurricanes are prime topics for online engagement-farming because people are paying attention to it."
In response to Greene and other spreading conspiracies, North Carolina Republican Representative Chuck Edwards, whose district was adversely affected by Helene, took to his website to systematically challenge the claims.
“Nobody can control the weather,” Edwards asserted in a message to his constituents.
He advised, “I encourage you to remember that everything you see on Facebook, X, or any other social media platform is not always fact. Please make sure you are fact-checking what you read online with a reputable source.”
President Joe Biden labeled the dissemination of misinformation as “un-American” during a briefing on Tuesday, stating, “People are scared to death, people know their lives are at stake.”
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas emphasized the detrimental effects of "deliberately false information" during an interview on CNN Wednesday morning.
"It is demoralizing to the men and women at the federal level, at the state and local level, who are actually risking their lives to save others and to bring much-needed relief to those who need it," Mayorkas explained on CNN.
Emmy Martin contributed to this report.
Lucas Dupont for TROIB News
