With Donald Trump and the rest of the MAGA Republicans spreading lies and deliberately pushing dangerous disinformation regarding FEMA aid to states devastated by Hurricane Helene, the White House is doing all it can to get the truth out to the public as the even deadlier Hurricane Milton was making landfall in Florida on Wednesday.
The White House has joined Reddit, where it will release information about the work the federal government is doing. The decision was also driven by a need to meet “more people where they are,” White House Deputy Platforms Director Megan Coyne shared in a post on Twitter.
The White House had already released a statement on Saturday in an attempt to debunk all the MAGA falsehoods before they could take hold. "Unfortunately, as our response and recovery efforts continue, we have seen a large increase in false information circulating online related to the federal response to Hurricane Helene. " A number of scam artists, bad-faith actors, and others who want to sow chaos because they think it helps their political interests are promoting disinformation about the recovery effort, including ways to access critical and life-saving resources. This is wrong, dangerous, and it must stop immediately," the statement reads in part.
President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been in constant contact with FEMA while overseeing relief efforts. President Biden delayed a planned overseas trip to remain in Washington, while Vice President Harris has received briefings on the days she's needed to be away from the White House to campaign. Both have visited states ravaged by Helene and have been vocal in urging Florida residents in Milton's path to get to safety.