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Tell Trump and Republicans: Stop attacking disaster relief! [1]

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Date: 2025-01

Disaster relief and weather forecasting shouldn't be partisan issues. Politicizing disaster response and spreading lies about FEMA's role undermines public trust in a vital federal agency–and this disinformation can be life-threatening during natural disasters.



The devastating wildfires raging across Southern California have already killed multiple people and displaced tens of thousands from their homes. Residents are grieving as entire communities—childhood homes, schools, parks, and small businesses—are engulfed in flames.





But instead of coming together to demonstrate swift and bipartisan action to address the crisis and support families on the ground as they fight to survive and rebuild, Trump and his MAGA loyalists are spreading lies and attacking those who are actually working to address the crisis. And this isn't the first time.





Last year in the aftermath of Hurricanes Helene and Milton, Republicans like Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene spread fringe disinformation accusing the government and Democrats of controlling the weather, making it difficult—and even dangerous—for meteorologists to deliver lifesaving information ahead of climate disasters. Meteorologists said that climate conspiracy theories and threatening messages flooded their inboxes. Instead of being able to focus solely on delivering lifesaving weather forecasts ahead of natural disasters, meteorologists had to debunk GOP-proliferated conspiracy theories about the government controlling the weather, and are even receiving death threats for doing their job.





FEMA workers have also been targeted by right-wing harassment and abuse. In Hurricane Helene's aftermath, Donald Trump falsely accused FEMA of stealing donations and diverting disaster aid to migrants. Threats of truckloads of militia members "hunting FEMA" forced FEMA and U.S. Forest Service workers to pause their lifesaving recovery efforts to relocate workers out of fear for their safety. Survivors of natural disasters who urgently need assistance are refusing FEMA's help because of this disinformation.





Conservative-led disinformation campaigns against our disaster relief workers and meteorologists are threatening public safety and undermining public trust in our lifesaving institutions. In times of crisis, our elected officials should be working to deliver aid and recovery–not spreading conspiracy theories on social media. Politicizing disaster response efforts for political points at the expense of real people who are suffering after natural disasters is unacceptable. Add your name to the petition to demand Trump and Republicans stop their life-threatening disinformation campaign and put people first!



Photo credit:

Salon / Getty Images

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[1] Url: https://sign.moveon.org/petitions/tell-the-gop-disaster-relief-shouldn-t-be-partisan?ak_proof=1&akid=.56721007.6tZUhB&rd=1&source=mo&t=2&after_action=ssd3

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