Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke directly with Elon Musk on the billionaire’s X platform on Friday. This is part of an effort to counter false conspiracies surrounding federal disaster aid for federal disaster victims. hurricane helen Musk spread the word on X, where he has over 200 million followers.
“No one is closing airspace, and the FAA is not blocking legitimate rescue and recovery flights,” Buttigieg wrote. “If you have a problem, please call me.”
Buttigieg was responding to a post by Musk that falsely claimed the Federal Aviation Administration was closing airspace over affected areas and “throttling” flights transporting supplies.
“There are no airspace restrictions in place in North Carolina as rescue operations continue in the aftermath of Hurricane Helen,” an FAA spokesperson told CNBC. You will need to contact the airport to obtain permission.” “We are cooperating with local authorities to ensure the rescue operation is carried out safely.”
Mr. Musk’s false claims were one of the following: some conspiracy Musk touted federal emergency workers this week as tens of thousands of people in hard-hit states turned to government agencies for disaster relief. Helen.
“@FEMA Not only are you not properly helping those in need, you are actively blocking citizens who are trying to help!,” Musk said in an apparent text message in a social post.
Representatives from the Federal Emergency Management Agency could not be reached for comment Friday.
Musk has publicly supported former Republican President Donald Trump and has become a major donor to the party in recent years.
On Friday, Trump Amplified Mr. Musk’s false claims Trump posted about FEMA and the FAA without comment to his nearly 8 million followers on his own social media platform, Truth Social.
Musk’s SpaceX and its satellite internet service brand Starlink previously 500 starlink kitdonated by individuals and organizations to support Helen’s recovery efforts. We also created the Starlink internet service Free for users 30 days in the area destroyed by Helen.
This was after FEMA had previously announced SpaceX’s Starlink terminals were being dispatched to provide internet service to remote areas affected by the storm.
Musk, who frequently uses X to provoke, escalated his fight with the U.S. government on Friday by slamming FEMA.
He has previously threatened to sue the Federal Aviation Administration, attacked the Environmental Protection Agency for penalizing SpaceX, and lambasted other federal agencies.
Mr. Musk’s SpaceX relies on federal agencies for billions of dollars a year in revenue, and Mr. Musk’s automaker Tesla has given the company significant loans, tax breaks and other subsidies and incentives. It has benefited greatly from federal programs.
People in designated counties who suffered loss or damage from Tropical Storm Helen can apply for government assistance by using the FEMA app, available for download from the Apple Store or Google Play Store, by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 1- You can apply. 800-621-3362.
