Anmaika Dey , editor
Brief news
- Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg directly addressed Elon Musk’s false claims about federal disaster aid and airspace restrictions for Hurricane Helene recovery efforts.
- The FAA confirmed no airspace restrictions exist, while FEMA refuted Musk’s allegations regarding confiscation of supplies.
- Musk’s controversial statements have drawn attention amid ongoing disaster relief efforts, despite his companies benefiting from federal support.
Detailed news
In order to refute the deceptive conspiracies regarding federal disaster aid for Hurricane Helene victims that Musk disseminated on X, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg engaged in a direct conversation with the billionaire on Friday. Musk’s follower count on X stands at over 200 million.
Buttigieg stated, “The airspace is not being shut down, and the FAA does not obstruct legitimate rescue and recovery flights.” Call me if you are experiencing an issue.
Buttigieg was responding to a post from Musk that falsely claimed the Federal Aviation Administration was “throttling” flights transporting supplies and shutting down airspace in the disaster zone.
“There are no airspace restrictions in place in North Carolina as rescue efforts continue due to Hurricane Helene,” stated an FAA spokesperson to CNBC. In order to obtain permission to land at Asheville or Rutherford airports, pilots must contact the airport. The Federal Aviation Administration is collaborating with local authorities to guarantee the safety of rescue operations.
Musk has disseminated numerous conspiracies regarding federal emergency personnel this week, including his false claim. This is occurring amid the fact that tens of thousands of individuals are seeking disaster relief from government agencies in states that have been severely affected by Hurricane Helene.
@FEMA is not only failing to provide adequate assistance to individuals in distress, but it is also actively obstructing citizens who attempt to assist. Musk stated in a social media post that appeared to be a text message.
Jaclyn Rothenberg, the public affairs director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, issued a statement to CNBC in response to Musk’s allegations: “The claims that FEMA confiscates or takes commodities, supplies, or resources in North Carolina, Tennessee, or any state impacted by Helene are false.”
She mentioned that Starlinks have been deployed by FEMA in the past to aid in disaster response in locations such as Guam, Hawaii, and Alaska. Starlink units are assisting state and local administrations, urban search and rescue, and disaster coordination efforts in North Carolina, which has been devastated by recent storms.
In recent years, Musk has acquired the status of a megadonor to the Republican Party and has officially endorsed Republican former President Donald Trump.
Trump posted Musk’s fraudulent claims about FEMA and FAA on his personal social media platform, Truth Social, on Friday. He did not provide any commentary to his nearly 8 million followers.
Musk’s SpaceX and its satellite internet service brand Starlink have previously stated that they will dispatch approximately 500 Starlink systems, which have been donated by private individuals and organizations, to assist with the recovery efforts following Hurricane Helene. Additionally, they provided complimentary internet service through Starlink for a period of 30 days in areas that were severely affected by Hurricane Helene.
This occurred subsequent to FEMA’s previous announcement that it would deploy SpaceX’s Starlink terminals to provide internet services to isolated regions affected by the hurricane.
Musk frequently employs X to incite controversy; however, his confrontation with the United States government was further exacerbated by his recent outburst against FEMA.
He has previously expressed his intention to file a lawsuit against the Federal Aviation Administration, criticized the Environmental Protection Agency for penalizing SpaceX, and directed his anger toward other federal agencies.
Tesla has profited handsomely from federal programs that provided the company with a critical loan, tax exemptions, and other subsidies and incentives, while Musk’s SpaceX is financially dependent on federal agencies for billions of dollars in annual revenue.
Source : CNBC News
