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Trumps Misinformation and Conspiracy Theories Fuel Threats Against FEMA in North Carolina


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As the United States grapples with increasingly harmful conspiracy theories, recent events in North Carolina have once again shown the real-world impact of such misinformation. For weeks, unfounded rumors about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its response to Hurricane Helene have spread across social media platforms, exacerbated by figures like Donald Trump and Elon Musk. The consequences are now becoming clear.

 

According to a report from *The Washington Post*, federal emergency responders were evacuated from Rutherford County, North Carolina, after receiving threats from armed militia groups. An official from the U.S. Forest Service confirmed that the National Guard encountered two trucks filled with militia members who claimed they were “out hunting FEMA.” Earlier the same day, a resident in the county threatened FEMA personnel stationed in a trailer, as reported by volunteers from the Cajun Navy, a relief organization. Riva Duncan, a former Forest Service official, noted that people in the area had been harassing federal employees, telling them they did not want aid.

 

While the Ashe County sheriff, Phil Howell, mentioned threats in nearby counties, he confirmed that no such threats were made in his jurisdiction. Nevertheless, FEMA officials paused their operations to reassess the security risks in the region.

Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-N.C.) revealed during an appearance on MSNBC that militia groups had reportedly threatened FEMA in at least two North Carolina counties. While the severity of these threats remains unclear, the situation has delayed vital recovery efforts in the region. This heightened tension has been directly linked to the spread of misinformation on social media platforms, particularly those with relaxed moderation policies.

 

Much of the misinformation centers on false claims that FEMA has been blocking aid and seizing property in the areas affected by Hurricane Helene. A particularly persistent conspiracy theory alleges that the federal government is attempting to seize lithium deposits in Chimney Rock, a claim debunked by local officials. Despite these efforts, false claims have continued to spread, with prominent figures like Musk and Trump amplifying the rumors. On October 4, Musk shared a claim from a SpaceX employee who falsely alleged that FEMA was “actively blocking shipments and seizing goods and services locally.” Trump reposted this claim on his Truth Social platform, adding to the confusion.

 

This is not the first time Trump has been accused of fueling conspiracy theories in crisis situations. Just weeks ago, Trump falsely claimed that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, were stealing and eating local pets, another baseless assertion that led to heightened tensions. Trump has also used misinformation as a political tool during the COVID-19 pandemic and in the aftermath of the 2020 election, culminating in the January 6 insurrection.

 

The most prominent theory surrounding FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene—that the agency is seizing materials and blocking aid—has been debunked by local and state officials. However, the damage caused by these conspiracy theories is undeniable. Authorities in Buncombe County, North Carolina, have been inundated with calls from concerned residents who believe FEMA is rejecting donations and taking private property.

 

The Institute for Strategic Dialogue, a nonprofit organization, had warned last week about the potential for militia activity based on these conspiracy theories. The group connected the misinformation to calls for militias to confront FEMA, leading to increased threats against federal employees in the area.

 

While it is difficult to trace the origins of these threats directly to Trump or Musk, their promotion of baseless claims has undoubtedly contributed to the escalating tensions in North Carolina. Regardless of where the threats originated, the spread of misinformation has created confusion and fear, delaying recovery efforts and putting emergency responders at risk. As with the January 6 insurrection, Trump’s direct responsibility for these events may be open to interpretation, but it is clear that his rhetoric has worsened an already volatile situation.

 

Based on a report from the WP 2024-10-16

 

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6 minutes ago, renaissanc said:

ABC, CNN, MSNBC, NYT, CBS won't tell uou this, but the desperate Dem-Marxists have 3 new strategies.  1. Everything said against them is misinformation.  2. To create fear about "Hitler" winning ... and how this will bring about the end of the universe and the existence of God. That's how dangerous they say he is.

Projecting much... 😁

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9 hours ago, cooked said:

FEMA has failed multiple times in the past to overcome its bureaucratic nature when an emergency occurred.

He NEVER said to inject bleach, nor any of the other outright lies that are told about him. 

For your education...0.45 in...

 

 

Edited by Phulublub
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8 hours ago, dinsdale said:

You've said it yourself. Trump DID NOT say inject bleach but "to look into it". Two very different things.

 

"Bryan said that his team had done some experiments that found that sun exposure and disinfectants, cleaning agents like bleach, could kill COVID-19 on surfaces and in the air. He eventually steps aside and says, you know, this concludes my research, we have some good stuff to go on.

Then, Trump takes the mic and sort of riffs. He's looking back and forth at reporters, and then Bryan, who's sitting off to the side. And Trump says, speaking to reporters, you know, a question that a lot of you are probably thinking is, what if we hit the body — this is his words — with a tremendous ultraviolet or very powerful light — and I'm sort of paraphrasing here for the sake of clarity.

And then he turns to Bryan and says, I think you said that hasn't been checked, but you're going to test it, which you can do either through the skin or some other way, and I think you said you're gonna test that. Sounds interesting, right?

And he goes on, he says, and I see the disinfectant where it knocks it out in one minute. Is there a way we could do something like that by injection inside or almost a cleaning because you can see, it gets in the lungs — he's referring to the virus now — it does a tremendous number on the lungs, and I think it'd be interesting to check that. So he’s sort of rambling here and these comments created confusion.

Almost immediately after that, a reporter, who was sitting in this press briefing room asked him, did you just say you’re testing injections? And Bryan came back to the microphone and said no, no, that's not what we tested in our lab. And Trump also clarified, he said well, that's not what I meant, it wouldn't be through injections, it would be cleaning and sterilization of an area.

And so it appeared that they shut it down and clarified what they meant just moments later, but the press had already taken off with these comments that Trump made."

https://www.wfae.org/politics/2024-04-03/fact-check-did-trump-once-tell-americans-to-inject-bleach-to-fight-covid-19

Unfortunately you ask for "a link from a reputable news source" aka the legacy media the purveyors of the UN/big pharma/CDC agenda. 

In your own quotes, he DOES say...by injection inside .  Just how much more clarity do you need?

 

PH

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1 hour ago, cjinchiangrai said:
1 hour ago, WDSmart said:

Lock him up!

A clear violation of the terms of his presentencing release. He is a convicted felon after all.

I meant "lock him up" because of these new actions of spreading misinformation and conspiracy theories about FEMA. He could be charged with "making False Statements" and then locked up pending trial. The Law of Lying: Perjury, False Statements, and Obstruction | Lawfare (lawfaremedia.org) 

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49 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

See my above post to put this in context. This is pretty much just a sound bite. "It would be interesting to check that. You would need to have medical doctors...." He is clearly not telling people to inject bleach.

Ah. Just a sound bite.  that's OK then. 

 

You appear to think that suggesting that maybe injecting bleach may be a remotely good idea worth serious investigation.  I will leave it there

 

PH

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4 minutes ago, WDSmart said:

There were no Dems who fueled the recent assassination attempts against Trump. He's the one who's fueled them.

The Dems did support the right to freedom of speech. It was the police that overreacted, using violence to try to quell the mobs, that incited those.

Yes, I'd much rather see those I don't like locked up than those I do like. 

Ans, all three of the "assassins" were hard right gun-nut crazies trying to create a martyr. 

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10 hours ago, cooked said:

FEMA has failed multiple times in the past to overcome its bureaucratic nature when an emergency occurred.

He NEVER said to inject bleach, nor any of the other outright lies that are told about him. 

Oh yes he did.

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