North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper (D) has refuted statements by former President Donald Trump regarding the distribution of disaster aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
What Happened: On Friday, Cooper took to X, formerly Twitter, and labeled Trump’s allegations as a “blatant falsehood.”
Trump accused Cooper’s administration of blocking aid and resources from reaching North Carolina to assist in recovery efforts post-Hurricane Milton.
The governor dismissed these accusations, asserting that his administration is working diligently with all stakeholders to provide necessary aid to those affected. “This is a flat out lie. We're working with all partners around the clock to get help to people.”
He went on to add that the Republican presidential nominee’s misleading statements have adversely affected the morale of first responders and victims, facilitated scams, and put government and rescue workers at risk.
Why It Matters: Previously, President Joe Biden called Trump’s allegations about Hurricane Milton “un-American.” FEMA has also launched a “rumor response” site to counter false claims related to disaster aid.
Trump previously took credit for the deployment of Elon Musk-led Starlink satellites to aid communication restoration in affected areas.
However, FEMA contradicted this statement, stating that the decision was already in place before Trump's involvement.
Following this, Trump and other Republicans accused the White House of misusing FEMA funds for migrant housing, but the White House refuted this saying, “No disaster relief funding at all was used to support migrants housing and services. None. At. All.”
Meanwhile, the situation has worsened with Hurricane Milton, which left a trail of destruction in its wake. At least 16 people have lost their lives due to the storm, according to the Tampa Bay Times, and with recovery efforts still underway, that number could increase.
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