Barbara McQuade, Columnist

Trump’s Lies About FEMA Only Hurt Hurricane Victims

The former president is spreading disinformation about the relief agency. That’s going to hurt the very people the agency is trying to help.

October 8, 2024 at 3:00 PM UTC

By Barbara McQuade

Barbara McQuade is a professor at the University of Michigan Law school, a former US attorney and author of the forthcoming book, "The Fix: Saving America from the Corruption of a Mob-Style Government."

What a mess.
Photographer: Melissa Sue Gerrits/Getty Images

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The communities still reeling from the devastation of Hurricane Helene now face another massive storm in Hurricane Milton. In addition to preparing for wind and water damage, residents also need to brace for a fresh deluge of disinformation.

After Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc last week on North Carolina and five other states, falsehoods about hurricane relief were so rampant that FEMA created a page on its website to debunk the rumors. One of the lies was that victims were limited to $750 in reimbursement. In fact, the $750 limit was only for immediate emergency needs, such as a food, water, baby formula and medicine. Additional funds are available for longer-term needs, such as “support for temporary housing, personal property and home repair costs.”