After Hurricane Helene hit the southeastern U.S., widespread rumors, misinformation, and politicized claims have circulated about FEMA’s disaster response. These falsehoods, especially focused on funding, prompted FEMA to create a dedicated page to debunk many of the misleading assertions about their recovery efforts.

According to FEMA, as of early October 2024, the agency has already distributed more than $137 million in assistance across six impacted states. This includes deploying over 7,000 federal personnel and delivering nearly 15 million meals, 14 million liters of water, 157 generators, and more than 500,000 tarps. More than 3,000 residents of North Carolina have been rescued, supported by more than 1,200 urban search and rescue personnel, with assistance from the National Guard and active-duty troops. North Carolina has also been awarded $100 million in federal transportation funds to rebuild roads and bridges that were destroyed in the storm.

Sadly, disaster response efforts have become heavily politicized. Former President Donald Trump has used the aftermath of Hurricane Helene to criticize the Biden administration. At a rally in Pennsylvania, Trump accused the administration of doing a “bad job” without providing concrete examples. One of his main talking points was an exaggerated claim that residents were only receiving $750 in relief payments.

Trump’s mention of the $750 refers to FEMA’s Serious Needs Assistance program, which provides one initial payment to cover emergency essentials such as food, water, and baby formula. This is just a part of a broader set of assistance measures, which also include displacement assistance for immediate housing needs and long-term recovery funding for home repairs and personal property losses.

In response, Vice President Harris condemned Trump’s remarks, labeling them as dangerous disinformation. She urged residents affected by the hurricane to seek the available aid, emphasizing that FEMA has significant resources for disaster survivors and that Trump’s focus on misrepresenting the situation was “extraordinarily irresponsible.”

FEMA Acting Associate Administrator for Response and Recovery, Keith Turi, warned that the spread of misinformation was seriously damaging their efforts to help those impacted by the hurricane. He expressed concern that false narratives might prevent some survivors from trusting FEMA and seeking aid when they most needed it.

Another misleading narrative gaining traction is the claim that FEMA is running out of money due to funds being diverted to manage the migrant crisis. This, according to FEMA, is simply untrue. The funds used for disaster recovery come from the Disaster Relief Fund (DRF), a reserve appropriated by Congress for such situations. Although FEMA recently implemented an “Immediate Needs Funding” measure, pausing some non-critical spending, the Disaster Relief Fund remains active, especially after the start of the new fiscal year in October. A stopgap spending measure approved last month replenished the DRF, keeping it at last year’s baseline of $20 billion.

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas did note that FEMA faced a budget crunch in September, exacerbated by Helene’s arrival, but additional funds had been allocated. The White House reaffirmed this, stating that FEMA had sufficient funding for ongoing responses to both Hurricane Helene and the newly approaching Hurricane Milton, a Category 5 storm nearing Florida.

While FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund could require further support as hurricane season continues, the Biden administration remains in communication with Congress to assess future needs. President Biden has assured that additional requests will be made once the full scope of damage from Hurricane Helene is calculated. Congress, though currently on recess, will likely be involved in allocating further disaster relief resources.

Another issue raised by Trump and his allies is the idea that disaster funds have been misused to support migrants. Trump claimed that Biden’s administration “stole” FEMA money to aid “illegal immigrants,” but this assertion conflates two separate funding streams. While FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program did help areas dealing with an influx of migrants, this was entirely separate from the DRF funds used for disaster recovery.

Trump’s claims have political motivations, as Republican lawmakers like Speaker Mike Johnson have shown reluctance to convene Congress before the elections to address additional relief for Helene survivors. Johnson’s refusal has raised concerns as Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida, with millions bracing for its potential devastation.

This misinformation, combined with political posturing, is complicating the federal government’s efforts to support those who need it most in the wake of Helene.