I grew up in Florida and I can tell you Hurricanes don’t care about politics. They are vicious, destructive, and deadly. They are truly humble.
So as Hurricane Milton roars across the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 5 storm, with an open space on Florida’s west coast in its path, Floridians and Americans in general have two things to worry about. This is the height of stupidity. The storm may then pass, and after the storm passes, the Republican presidential candidate may spout dangerous and destructive lies.
You are welcome to ridicule me for equating the two, but former President Donald Trump’s lies and misinformation have done serious harm since Hurricane Helen wreaked havoc across the South. , continues to sow confusion and mistrust.
President Trump’s lies after Hurricane Helen caused real harm
In just the past week, President Trump has:
That’s just the tip of the iceberg. His cynical attempt to exploit a deadly natural disaster to aid his struggling re-election campaign is a direct result of Republican congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene’s suggestion that the government controls the weather in New York. As the Times reported, it is “calling on residents to form militias to protect against FEMA workers and the anti-Semitic and misogynistic threats against them.”
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell told ABC News: “This kind of rhetoric doesn’t help people. It’s really unfortunate that it’s putting politics ahead of helping people.”
Opinion: Helen has devastated my North Carolina community. What I saw next helped me survive.
President Trump-led misinformation robs recovery efforts of time
Samantha Montano, assistant professor of emergency management at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, told the Times: “I’ve been involved in disaster-related work for nearly 20 years, and I can’t think of another acute disaster where so much misinformation was spread.”
The constant lies are forcing relief agencies and local authorities to spend valuable time exposing nonsense. The American Red Cross posted on social media: “Sharing rumors online without vetting the sources and checking the facts will ultimately hurt people – those who have just lost their homes, neighborhoods and, in some cases, loved ones. ”
North Carolina Sheriff Aaron Ellenberg told the Times: I’m tired of this nonsense. ”
“Trump is politicizing the situation at every turn.”
And what’s really remarkable is that the main source of “this crap” is a man who thinks he should be elected president. The Charlotte Observer’s editorial board called the chaos caused by President Trump “disgraceful,” saying:
“This is not a situation that can be exploited for political gain. But former President Donald Trump has politicized the situation at every turn, spreading lies and conspiracies that divide communities rather than unite them. Let me be clear. The point is, Western North Carolina is not a political football. This is not a campaign opportunity. The most unhelpful thing a politician or anyone can do right now is spread misinformation. to tell people that we are not doing anything to help them.”
Hurricane Milton threatens Florida. So how will Trump react?
Now, with Hurricane Milton expected to hit Florida on Wednesday, the question is: Will President Trump take the same action in response to this potential disaster as he did in previous disasters? .
everyone knows the answer. Of course he would. He will put himself and his political ambitions above all else. He now calls home, putting the safety of the state’s residents first. Beyond the needs of recovery workers and government agencies working tirelessly to save lives and help people rebuild.
His words and social media posts will cause confusion. They will divide people at a time when unity is essential. That trend will be further amplified by his opportunistic henchmen, from Elon Musk to Greene, to villains who see an opportunity for self-advancement at the expense of decency.
OPINION: Friends in North Carolina feared Helen wouldn’t survive. They told me how they did it.
It’s not normal for a presidential candidate to act like this
This shouldn’t happen. What we’ve seen in North Carolina, Georgia and Florida since Hurricane Helen is good people coming together and helping each other. That’s the way it should be. Tragedy cannot be completely resolved, but unity can go a long way in alleviating the pain.
But Trump hates unity. He wants to spin chaos for his own benefit.
Facing a storm like Hurricane Milton is bad enough. Americans, especially Floridians, don’t have to worry about a dishonest presidential candidate potentially making matters worse.
Follow USA TODAY columnist Rex Hupke on X (formerly Twitter). @RexHuppke and Facebook facebook.com/RexIsAJerk