North Carolina man blames Trump for father-in-law's refusal of FEMA aid amid Hurricane Helene

During a segment on the 'Dan Abrams Show', Anthony revealed that his father-in-law is hesitant to accept help due to fears of losing his home
PUBLISHED OCT 11, 2024
A North Carolina man blamed Donald Trump and right-wing misinformation over his father-in-law’s refusal to accept FEMA assistance (Getty image)
A North Carolina man blamed Donald Trump and right-wing misinformation over his father-in-law’s refusal to accept FEMA assistance (Getty image)

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, a North Carolina man named Anthony expressed his frustration over his father-in-law’s refusal to accept assistance from FEMA, attributing this decision to misinformation propagated by Donald Trump and right-wing media.

Speaking on the 'Dan Abrams Show' on SiriusXM, Anthony shared that his father-in-law, who resides in Asheville, is refusing aid despite suffering significant losses from the hurricane.



 

Misinformation fuels refusal of aid as family struggles to help hurricane victim

According to the Mediaite, Anthony revealed that his father-in-law fears that accepting help from FEMA could result in losing his home.

“He has refused all FEMA help because he’s a hardcore Trumper,” Anthony told Abrams. “He literally believes that if he accepts anything from FEMA, they’re going to take his house.”

He stated, “I mean, he lost almost everything, and he’s refusing all help from the federal government and complaining to us that he doesn’t have food, that he doesn’t have the stuff he needs, and yet he won’t accept the help. What the hell are we supposed to do? We’re not in a position where we can fly across the country and help him. There are people begging us to get him to accept help and he won’t do it.”

NEW YORK, NY - NOVEMBER 02:  Residents wait for information from FEMA in the heavily damaged Rockawa
 Anthony shared that his father-in-law is reluctant to accept FEMA assistance due to fears of losing his home (Getty image)

The misinformation in question includes claims from Trump and conservative commentators suggesting that FEMA is only offering minimal assistance and diverting funds to migrant shelters instead of disaster relief—assertions that have been proven false.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at Festival Park on June 18, 2024 in Racine, Wisconsin. This is Trump's third visit to Wisconsin, a key swing state in 2024. (Photo by Scott Olson/Getty Images)
Misinformation surrounding FEMA claims includes assertions from Donald Trump and conservative commentators (Scott Olson/Getty Images)

Despite Anthony and his family providing his father-in-law with fact-checks and FEMA bulletins, he remains skeptical. Anthony said, “We’ve done all of that. We’ve sent him… all the FEMA bulletins. We’ve sent him all the stuff from the fact-checkers. He just doesn’t believe it. He thinks it’s all — he just believes Trump, literally, Dan. He just — it’s a cult! He’s a cult member. I’m sorry to say it, he’s a cult member. And he’s my father-in-law and it sucks.”

Congressman Chuck Edwards speaks out against misinformation on disaster relief efforts

The situation has drawn the attention of some within the Republican Party, including Congressman Chuck Edwards, who represents North Carolina’s 11th district. Edwards publicly refuted the misleading narratives surrounding disaster relief efforts, highlighting the substantial support provided by the Biden administration.


 
 
 
 
 
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A post shared by Congressman Chuck Edwards (@repchuckedwards)


 

In a press release titled “Debunking Helene Response Myths,” he stated, “I have seen a level of support that is unmatched by most any other disaster nationwide” and condemned the “outrageous rumors” damaging recovery efforts.

Edwards further clarified that “FEMA has NOT diverted disaster response funding to the border or foreign aid,” and emphasized that it was “NOT only providing $750 to disaster survivors to support their recovery.”

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