North Carolina Governor Blasts Trump Over His Latest Hurricane Aid Conspiracy Theory

Topline

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper called out former President Donald Trump on Friday for claiming Cooper’s office withheld aid from the state’s residents in the deadly aftermath of Hurricane Helene, marking the latest disputed and unfounded claim from the former president about federal and state government responses to the hurricane that has killed nearly 100 people in North Carolina.

Cooper responded to Trump on Friday afternoon. (Photo by MANDEL NGAN/AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

Key Facts

Trump claimed in a Friday morning post on Truth Social that “it has just come out” that Cooper and Democrats in Washington D.C. blocked “people and money from coming into North Carolina to help people in desperate need,” though the former president did not provide backing for his claim.

Cooper called Trump’s claim a “flat out lie,” blasting the Republican presidential candidate for endangering rescue workers and harming the morale of first responders and those affected by the hurricane with “lies and conspiracy theories.”

A “Fact vs. Rumor” webpage published by the North Carolina Department of Public Safety says local, state, federal and military agencies are collaborating on relief efforts alongside volunteer organizations and private businesses.

Trump’s claim on Friday comes after the former president falsely alleged the Federal Emergency Management Agency is struggling financially because of funds allocated toward migrants.

Though Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said this month FEMA is experiencing a cash crunch, the more than $1 billion provided to regions welcoming migrants since 2023 was sourced from FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program—a different resource pool than the Disaster Relief Fund, which is used for natural disaster aid.

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Surprising Fact

Misinformation and conspiracy theories around recent hurricane relief efforts have not only provoked North Carolina to create webpages debunking rumors, but also triggered FEMA to create a rumor response webpage of its own. The federal agency said last week it had enough money for “immediate response and recovery needs,” likely publishing the post in response to allegations claiming otherwise from Trump.

Tangent

Swing-state counties in Georgia and North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene mostly voted for Trump in 2020, according to an NPR analysis. Trump won 51.6% of the affected counties in North Carolina, NPR reported, underscoring how important the hurricane response and the discourse around it may become in the upcoming election.

What We Don’t Know

How much money in disaster aid FEMA has left. The agency has not disclosed exactly how much is left for disaster aid, according to The Washington Post, which noted experts believe the agency seemingly has enough money for its individual assistance program. The Post reported inaction from Congress could deplete funding for FEMA’s public assistance program, which provides reimbursements for debris cleanup costs and first responders.

Key Background

President Joe Biden, like Gov. Cooper, called out Trump over his spreading of misinformation in the wake of the hurricane, saying in a White House briefing this week the former president “led the onslaught of lies.” Biden also criticized Trump allies such as Republican Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who last week promoted a conspiracy theory that government agencies are controlling the weather. Trump has also falsely suggested FEMA aid payouts to those affected by Hurricane Helene are capped at $750, though the figure is what people can be approved for shortly after they apply as part of a program known as Serious Needs Assistance, which provides an initial payment while eligibility for more aid is assessed, according to FEMA.