President Biden on Wednesday accused former President Donald Trump and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) of spreading “irresponsible” and “outrageous” falsehoods about the severe weather hitting Florida and other states.
Biden spoke alongside Vice President Harris as he was briefed on the latest developments in Hurricane Milton, a severe storm likely to make landfall in Florida later Wednesday. The president said his administration has been in contact with state and local officials to make an “unprecedented number of assets” available to support the response to both Milton and Hurricane Helen.
“But let me be clear right now: In recent weeks, there has been a reckless, irresponsible and relentless promotion of disinformation and outright lies that have left people worried,” Biden said. . “It undermines confidence in the incredible rescue and recovery work that has already been carried out and will continue to be carried out. It is detrimental to those who need help most. There is no place for it to happen.”
Biden specifically accused Trump of leading an “onslaught of lies.” He said claims that property was confiscated and those affected by the storm received only $750 in aid are untrue. He also said President Trump's repeated claims that the government is diverting disaster relief funds to aid immigrants are untrue.
“Now the claims are even stranger. Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene is now claiming that the federal government literally controls the weather. “We're doing it,” Biden said. “That's outrageous. It has to stop. In moments like this, there are no states that are red or blue.”
“Certainly we can control the weather,” Greene wrote on social platform X last week as many southern states were dealing with the effects of Hurricane Helen.
For days, the White House and officials in affected states have been trying to push back on misinformation surrounding the hurricane response. The Biden administration has launched a fact sheet and Reddit page aimed at sharing facts about the response.
Republican Rep. Chuck Edwards of North Carolina, who represents a district affected by Hurricane Helen, said: A press release has been posted Tuesday debunks eight “myths” about the storm response, including multiple claims shared by President Trump.
