Hurricane Helene leaves behind destruction and more than 200 deaths in the southeastern United States. While cleanup work begins in the disaster areas, conspiracy theories are circulating on social media – and making it into the US election campaign.
After Hurricane Helene devastated large parts of the southeastern United States last week and killed more than 200 people, bizarre stories are flooding the Internet. Rumors are circulating that the Biden administration used “weather control technology” to target Republican voters in order to influence the US election in favor of the Democrats. Right-wing extremists claim that public authorities want to take land away from those affected by the storm and thus wipe out entire communities.
Whenever shocking events occur – such as the terrorist attack on September 11th or the corona pandemic – there are people who search for explanations with great devotion. Often the focus becomes crazy – away from the victims and towards alternative realities and political feuds.
Trump is lying his way through the election campaign
Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is using the disaster to further his political agenda. Last week he had already accused Kamala Harris and Joe Biden of not doing enough for the disaster victims, instead of sleeping or chasing donations.
At the weekend, Trump followed up by linking the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene to the issue of migration. At a campaign rally in Pennsylvania, he claimed that Harris had spent disaster funds intended for storm victims to house illegal immigrants. “You stole the FEMA money,” he accused his Democratic opponents.
In fact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has limited resources. However, this is not due to the alleged use for migrants, but rather due to the natural disasters that are hitting the USA with increasing frequency and severity. Last week, Joe Biden signed a transitional law that guarantees an additional $16 billion for disaster relief. Alejandro N. Mayorkas, US Secretary of Homeland Security, warned that there were still not enough resources to survive the hurricane season. He referred to the increase in extreme weather events. FEMA’s financial support is essential for the well-being of the American people. “This is not a political question,” he told the New York Times.
Potpourri of absurdities
But “Helene” remains a political issue. Trump is receiving support for his claims from tech billionaire Elon Musk and well-known American conspiracy theorists such as radio host Alex Jones. Musk wrote on Pete Buttigieg, US Secretary of Transportation, denied the allegations.
Jones, internationally known for his populist and sometimes right-wing extremist views, also threw his support behind Trump with a post on X. In a video, he claimed that the government had specifically sent “Helene” to North Carolina to scare people away and promote lithium mining in the state.
The next hurricane is heading for Florida
Disproving conspiracy theories takes time – time that should actually be spent supporting victims. Kevin Corbin, the Republican Senator from North Carolina, therefore asked the residents of the state to exercise restraint. “Could you please help stop the spread of these Western North Carolina flooding conspiracy theories on Facebook and the Internet?” Corbin wrote on Facebook.
The Red Cross also appealed to use trustworthy sources and to think twice about what you read. Meanwhile, the US television channel CNN published a list of false statements that Trump has already made regarding “Helene”. This includes the claim that people who lost their homes in the floods only received $750 in support from the state. FEMA corrected the statement that the amount was only immediate and temporary assistance.
The effort currently spent separating fact from fiction would be better spent elsewhere. The next hurricane, “Milton,” is already rolling toward the east coast. He is scheduled to make landfall in Florida State on Wednesday.