Two hurricanes in a row – that can turn any campaign upside down. Republicans are primarily counting on the political effect of hurricanes Helene and Milton and are attacking Joe Biden's administration. Some allegations are blatantly untrue, yet they spread on social media. In recent days, even President Biden himself decided that it was necessary to address them and deny them.
President Joe Biden publicly accuses political rivals of spreading disinformation about hurricanes hitting America. Biden says: lying about it is un-American.
– Former President Trump is behind the storm of lies. There have been claims that assets are being confiscated. This is simply not true. They say those affected by the hurricane will receive $750 in cash and nothing more. This is simply not true. They say the money needed for this crisis is being given to migrants. What a pathetic statement. This is not true – says Joe Biden, President of the United States.
The mentioned $750 is the real amount received by those affected by the natural disaster. This is only the first tranche of aid, cash for the most urgent needs.
The effects of the Trump-Vance narrative
Donald Trump argues at his rallies that instead of Americans in need, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris allegedly prefer to help illegal immigrants, Ukraine or Israel.
– She sends money to foreign countries. He and she send hundreds of billions of dollars to foreign countries and you know what? They give our people $750, says Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate.
-The Harris administration has given billions of dollars to foreign countries and illegal immigrants. Now they are promising $750 to American citizens who have lost everything. I promise you that when Donald Trump returns to the White House, we will have a president who puts America first, says JD Vance, the Republican vice presidential candidate.
The effects of this narrative can be seen on the Internet, which is flooded with so-called fakes. In one of the recordings, the American province after the hurricane is shown on the left, and the bustling Kjiów on the right – presumably for American money.
There is also a photo montage generated by artificial intelligence circulating on social media, showing Donald Trump personally helping the victims of the disaster on the spot.
– Some of the claims are getting more and more outlandish. Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene says the federal government literally controls the weather. We control the weather! This is absurd. This must end, emphasizes Joe Biden.
The election campaign is in its final stretch. Donald Trump and Kamala Harris are almost neck and neck in the pollsJakub Loska/Fakty o Świecie TVN24 BiS
Politico: Elon Musk plays an important role in spreading disinformation
The American website Politico reports that Trump's ally, Elon Musk, the owner of, among others, the X portal, the former Twitter, plays an important role in spreading disinformation.
“Musk has helped spread accusations that the Federal Emergency Management Agency is actively blocking donations to victims of Hurricane Helene, confiscating gifts and locking them up to claim they are its property,” we read in Politico.
– This causes confusion and chaos. People are not reaching out for the help they need because they see so much information that is not true, says Justin Knighten of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
American portals dealing with the fight against so-called fake news say: “No! The money for hurricane victims was not allocated for other purposes.” However, in the heat of the campaign, some voters will believe false claims.
– In fact, the Federal Emergency Management Agency has a lot of resources available to people who desperately need them, to help people get back on their feet, to rebuild. People have a right to these resources and it is extremely important that they apply for the help that is available, urges Kamala Harris, US vice president, running for president.
Donald Trump and his entourage are criticized for spreading disinformation, even by some members of their own party. The Republican governor of Florida appealed to residents of his state to ignore false information circulating on the Internet.
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Main photo source: Reuters