Misinformation in Milton surges, prompting course corrections among some Republicans
As millions of residents in Florida prepare for one of the largest storms to ever make landfall in the state, either by evacuating or taking shelter, some GOP lawmakers are encouraging them to verify the information they receive.
TroibNews 
A small number of Republicans are actively countering false information spreading within their own party about Hurricane Milton, just hours ahead of the storm's impending impact on Florida's Gulf Coast.
Former President Donald Trump and his associates have been making increasingly strange and misleading claims regarding the federal government’s response to both Milton and Hurricane Helene, which devastated the Southeastern U.S. last month, resulting in over 200 fatalities. Deanne Criswell, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), remarked on Tuesday that the conspiracy theories, particularly those regarding the agency, are “absolutely the worst I have ever seen.”
As millions of residents in Florida prepare to evacuate or brace for one of the largest storms to hit the state, several GOP lawmakers are trying to shift the conversation.
"We live in an era where if you put out crap online you can get a lot of people to share it and you can monetize that. That's just the way it is,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated to reporters Wednesday when addressing misinformation. “But if you are hearing something that's just outrageous — just know in the state of Florida none of that stuff would ever fly."
"Be careful about the nonsense that gets circulated and just know that the more titillating it is, the more likely it is that somebody is making money off it and they don't really give a damn about the well-being and safety of the people that are actually in the eye of the storm," DeSantis added.
Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis, urged people to be cautious of “outlandish claims” circulating online while also criticizing news organizations 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 wrote on X, sharing screenshots of false posts that garnered thousands of likes. “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.”
Florida Representative Carlos Gimenez took a more direct approach toward members of his party, stating on social media on Wednesday that GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others who believe humans can control the weather need “to have their head examined.”
The day before, Greene had claimed on social media, “Yes they can control the weather,” insisting, “It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done,” though it remains unclear who she was referring to as “they.”
Greene has since doubled down on her comments, sharing a meme that purported to show various patents as evidence of weather control. On Tuesday, she linked to an article from the conservative Gateway Pundit that referenced different scientific practices, including cloud seeding, as proof of humanity's ability to control the weather.
“NEW FLASH —> Humans cannot create or control hurricanes,” Gimenez responded on X Wednesday concerning Greene's assertions. “Anyone who thinks they can needs to have their head examined.”
A spokesperson for Greene did not respond to a request for comment regarding Gimenez's remarks.
Even Republican Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a loyal Trump supporter, claimed on Wednesday via X that she had spoken to the White House and emphasized that it is “taking all necessary actions to ensure that [DeSantis] and the State of Florida have the resources required to assist Floridians with hurricane preparation and recovery.”
This statement followed Luna’s previously posted video that propagated the false narrative that FEMA is underfunded due to reallocating disaster funds to immigrants. On Friday, she appeared with Trump on stage in North Carolina, reiterating the same theory.
On Tuesday, North Carolina Republican Representative Chuck Edwards, whose district felt the brunt of Hurricane Helene, used his website to debunk various claims.
“Nobody can control the weather,” Edwards stated in a message to his constituents on Tuesday.
“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,” he advised in the post.
The White House has been actively addressing the misinformation surrounding the storms for weeks, leading to a significant discussion during a televised briefing on Wednesday.
“Over the last few weeks there's been a reckless, irresponsible and relentless promotion of disinformation and outright lies that are disturbing people,” President Joe Biden remarked. “It's undermining confidence in the incredible rescue and recovery work that has already been taken and will continue to be taken, and it's harmful to those who need help the most.”
Biden specifically criticized Greene’s claims regarding weather control, calling them “beyond ridiculous.”
Emmy Martin, Arek Sarkissian, Kimberly Leonard, and Mia McCarthy contributed to this report.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
Former President Donald Trump and his associates have been making increasingly strange and misleading claims regarding the federal government’s response to both Milton and Hurricane Helene, which devastated the Southeastern U.S. last month, resulting in over 200 fatalities. Deanne Criswell, the Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), remarked on Tuesday that the conspiracy theories, particularly those regarding the agency, are “absolutely the worst I have ever seen.”
As millions of residents in Florida prepare to evacuate or brace for one of the largest storms to hit the state, several GOP lawmakers are trying to shift the conversation.
"We live in an era where if you put out crap online you can get a lot of people to share it and you can monetize that. That's just the way it is,” Florida Governor Ron DeSantis stated to reporters Wednesday when addressing misinformation. “But if you are hearing something that's just outrageous — just know in the state of Florida none of that stuff would ever fly."
"Be careful about the nonsense that gets circulated and just know that the more titillating it is, the more likely it is that somebody is making money off it and they don't really give a damn about the well-being and safety of the people that are actually in the eye of the storm," DeSantis added.
Christina Pushaw, a spokesperson for DeSantis, urged people to be cautious of “outlandish claims” circulating online while also criticizing news organizations 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 wrote on X, sharing screenshots of false posts that garnered thousands of likes. “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.”
Florida Representative Carlos Gimenez took a more direct approach toward members of his party, stating on social media on Wednesday that GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene and others who believe humans can control the weather need “to have their head examined.”
The day before, Greene had claimed on social media, “Yes they can control the weather,” insisting, “It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done,” though it remains unclear who she was referring to as “they.”
Greene has since doubled down on her comments, sharing a meme that purported to show various patents as evidence of weather control. On Tuesday, she linked to an article from the conservative Gateway Pundit that referenced different scientific practices, including cloud seeding, as proof of humanity's ability to control the weather.
“NEW FLASH —> Humans cannot create or control hurricanes,” Gimenez responded on X Wednesday concerning Greene's assertions. “Anyone who thinks they can needs to have their head examined.”
A spokesperson for Greene did not respond to a request for comment regarding Gimenez's remarks.
Even Republican Florida Representative Anna Paulina Luna, a loyal Trump supporter, claimed on Wednesday via X that she had spoken to the White House and emphasized that it is “taking all necessary actions to ensure that [DeSantis] and the State of Florida have the resources required to assist Floridians with hurricane preparation and recovery.”
This statement followed Luna’s previously posted video that propagated the false narrative that FEMA is underfunded due to reallocating disaster funds to immigrants. On Friday, she appeared with Trump on stage in North Carolina, reiterating the same theory.
On Tuesday, North Carolina Republican Representative Chuck Edwards, whose district felt the brunt of Hurricane Helene, used his website to debunk various claims.
“Nobody can control the weather,” Edwards stated in a message to his constituents on Tuesday.
“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,” he advised in the post.
The White House has been actively addressing the misinformation surrounding the storms for weeks, leading to a significant discussion during a televised briefing on Wednesday.
“Over the last few weeks there's been a reckless, irresponsible and relentless promotion of disinformation and outright lies that are disturbing people,” President Joe Biden remarked. “It's undermining confidence in the incredible rescue and recovery work that has already been taken and will continue to be taken, and it's harmful to those who need help the most.”
Biden specifically criticized Greene’s claims regarding weather control, calling them “beyond ridiculous.”
Emmy Martin, Arek Sarkissian, Kimberly Leonard, and Mia McCarthy contributed to this report.
Camille Lefevre contributed to this report for TROIB News
