Officials told the Post that the first responders who were moved were delivering supplies in the region and clearing trees from damaged and blocked roads being used by search and rescue crews assisting victims of the storm.
Over the weekend, the Rutherford County Sheriff’s Office announced that charges have been filed against a man identified as William Jacob Parsons for allegedly threatening FEMA workers in western North Carolina. Police said that Parsons was armed with a handgun and a rifle at the time of his arrest. Investigators say he acted alone, according to Fox 8.
Gov. Roy Cooper released a statement on the issue on Monday that said, “We are aware of significant misinformation online and reports of threats to response workers on the ground and the safety of responders must be taken seriously.”
The conservative movement, led by Trump, has promoted an avalanche of lies about Hurricane Helene and Milton and the federal response to the devastating weather events.
Trump claimed after Helene hit that the Biden-Harris administration was “not responsive” to requests for help from Georgia officials, a statement refuted by Gov. Brian Kemp—a Republican who backs Trump.
Trump also alleged that the federal government was “going out of their way not to help people in Republican areas” of North Carolina, but had no evidence to back up his smear when reporters pressed him on the issue.
At a rally, Trump said that Vice President Kamala Harris had “spent all her FEMA money, billions of dollars, on housing for illegal migrants,” which is patently untrue. In fact, House Republicans have refused requests to pass disaster assistance legislation—even while Speaker Mike Johnson has criticized the emergency response.
Trump’s allies in right-wing media, particularly Fox News, have reinforced his attacks on the response to the storm.
Right-wing militia violence and threats have previously been linked with Trump’s rhetoric. During the 2020 presidential debates, Trump infamously told the racist Proud Boy militia group to “stand back and stand by” after President Joe Biden called on Trump to condemn the group. Trump was later impeached (for a second time) for inciting the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, and Proud Boy leader Enrique Tarrio was convicted of seditious conspiracy as part of the riot, receiving a 22-year prison sentence.
Harris and Biden have been using their prominent positions to combat hurricane misinformation and call out Trump for his role in promoting these falsehoods.
At a White House briefing on the response to Milton, Biden addressed Trump: “Get a life, man. Help these people.”
Speaking at Koinonia Christian Center in Greenville, North Carolina, on Sunday, Harris spoke out.
“There are some who are not acting in the spirit of community, and I am speaking of those who have been literally not telling the truth, lying about people who are working hard to help folks in need, and spreading disinformation,” Harris said. “It’s making it harder then to get people lifesaving information.”
