A torrent of false claims has muddied details around the recovery efforts following the storm, which left hundreds dead and entire communities destroyed. That weariness has been echoed by other local officials and citizens who are still reeling from one of the worst storms in U.S. history. Trump used his high-profile return to Butler, Pennsylvania, where he was nearly killed by a gunman, to continue to spread false claims about FEMA. Even as some claims were quickly debunked, more continued to surface across platforms such as X, TikTok and Facebook. The deluge has frustrated public officials, who say they distract from rescue efforts and disorient workers trying to provide help.

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Persons: Hurricane Helene, Kevin Corbin, ”, Sen, Thom Tillis, I’ve, influencers, Donald Trump, Trump, Pete Buttigieg, Elon Musk, Musk, Buttigieg, ” Musk, Helene, Deanne Criswell, ABC’s, ” Criswell, “ We’ve, Criswell, “, Roy Cooper, ” Cooper, grifters Organizations: Republican, Democratic, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Facebook, FEMA, CBS, Transportation, North Carolina Department of Public Safety, North Carolina Gov Locations: WNC, Republican North Carolina, Antarctica, Butler , Pennsylvania, “, Valdosta , Georgia