U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has countered accusations made by Elon Musk regarding the government's handling of Hurricane Helene relief efforts, accusing the SpaceX CEO of spreading misinformation.
Musk had taken to social media, claiming that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) was blocking his satellite internet company, Starlink, from delivering services to regions in North Carolina that were severely impacted by the hurricane. Both FEMA and Buttigieg dismissed these claims as false.
In response to Musk's accusations, Buttigieg tweeted, "No one is shutting down the airspace and the FAA isn’t blocking legitimate rescue and recovery flights. If you're encountering any problems, give me a call." Musk replied that he had received numerous reports of such issues and indicated that he would reach out.
Musk had spent much of Friday venting on his social media platform, X, accusing FEMA of obstructing relief efforts. He shared messages purportedly from a SpaceX engineer on the ground, alleging that the federal agency was preventing private helicopters from delivering Starlink terminals and other critical supplies to devastated areas.
"SpaceX engineers are trying to deliver Starlink terminals & supplies to devastated areas in North Carolina right now, and @FEMA is both failing to help AND won’t let others help. This is unconscionable!" Musk posted.
However, FEMA issued a statement denying the allegations. Jaclyn Rothenberg, FEMA's public affairs director, stated, "The claims about FEMA confiscating or taking commodities, supplies, or resources in North Carolina, Tennessee, or any other state impacted by Hurricane Helene are false." She added that FEMA had actively provided Starlink terminals to support critical services in North Carolina, including in areas like the Eastern Band of Cherokee Nation, urban search and rescue efforts, and disaster coordination teams.
Despite these clarifications, former President Donald Trump amplified Musk's claims on his social media platform, Truth Social. Musk announced he would join Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania.
The circulation of misinformation has been exacerbated by the communications blackout in areas devastated by Hurricane Helene, with phone lines and power grids down across the southern U.S. Amid the chaos, Trump also falsely claimed that President Joe Biden had failed to contact Georgia's governor after the storm, though Biden had reached out to Governor Brian Kemp.
Musk's involvement in disaster situations has a controversial history. In 2018, he proposed using a small submersible to assist with the rescue of a Thai soccer team trapped in a cave, which was dismissed as a "PR stunt" by rescuers. Following criticism, Musk infamously referred to one of the rescuers as a "pedo guy," which led to a defamation lawsuit that he eventually won.
SpaceX engineers are trying to deliver Starlink terminals & supplies to devastated areas in North Carolina right now and @FEMA is both failing to help AND won’t let others help. This is unconscionable!!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 4, 2024
They just took this video a few hours ago, where you can see the level of… pic.twitter.com/abpOsfNenF
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