Donald Trump's Hurricane Florence 'rumor control page' retweet backfires
President Donald Trump sparked outrage Thursday with his false claim that almost 3,000 people “did not die” as a result of back-to-back hurricanes that battered Puerto Rico last year.
On Friday morning, Trump faced further backlash and accusations of hypocrisy after he retweeted a Federal Emergency Management Agency post linking to its “rumor control page” that aims to dispel fake news about Hurricane Florence.
The storm made landfall in the Carolinas at around the same time.
We have created a rumor control page for Hurricane #Florence that will be updated regularly. During disasters, it’s critical to avoid spreading false information. Always check with official sources before sharing. https://t.co/PAjGQZJ1Ntpic.twitter.com/z4L0r1YjAT
— FEMA (@fema) September 12, 2018
“During disasters, it’s critical to avoid spreading false information,” FEMA wrote in its post. “Always check with official sources before sharing.”
The tweet was one of 15 Florence-related posts by government agencies that Trump retweeted within a short period Friday. He shared the link to the “rumor control page,” which busts myths on issues such as whether service animals are allowed into shelters or if beach sand can be used for sandbagging, to his 54 million followers.
RELATED: Hurricane Florence makes landfall
However, the retweet was too much for many people on Twitter to stomach ― given Trump’s promotion of the Puerto Rico falsehood some 24 hours earlier:
FEMA set up a rumor control page on their website to combat false information.
Can someone set up similar page for US. government? All you have to do is post Trump's tweets.— Deborah Edwards-Oñoro (@redcrew) September 14, 2018
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The theatre of the absurd continues with Trump retweeting a new "FEMA Rumor Control Page" which does confirm that $10,000,000 was taken from FEMA and diverted to ICE.
As Puerto Ricans Died.#PuertoRico@realDonaldTrump#GOPhttps://t.co/8H7mQiDz8E— Ka Rona Prez (@DeviousPrez) September 14, 2018
Where is the rumor control page for @realDonaldTrump’s Twitter feed? During this disaster of the Trump administration, it is critical to avoid spreading false information.
— TheChileWoman (@TheChileWoman) September 14, 2018
Where is the rumor control page for @realDonaldTrump’s Twitter feed? During this disaster of the Trump administration, it is critical to avoid spreading false information.
— TheChileWoman (@TheChileWoman) September 14, 2018
Maybe you should start rumor control by taking Trumps phone away
— Joan S (@joanmarie73) September 14, 2018
#FridayMotivation Trump, the lyingest liar of all, who said 3000 didn't die in Hurricane Maria, RT this about rumor control. https://t.co/ccS72fePxY
— Diane Toucan (@DianeToucan) September 14, 2018
Dear FEMA:
This presidency is a disaster and Trump keeps spreading false information. Can you put up a rumor control page just for his tweets?
Luvyathnx,
Me https://t.co/Je9rbxw9Uu— Liddle’ Savage (@littledeekay) September 14, 2018
Can we have a rumor control page for every stupid thing #trump says or does?
He's not helpful in a crisis.— Jan Lewis (@portside27) September 14, 2018
The irony of a government department wanting to control rumors and “avoid false information” 😂 I thought facts weren’t critical anymore? Clearly Trump didn’t approve this. https://t.co/2kFbNnJbl2
— Heather Hallberg (@SwingStation) September 14, 2018
RUMOR CONTROL? Here ya’ go:
Trump lied about #Maria deaths because he is a raging narcissistic sociopath. pic.twitter.com/INuG70MPzM— TrumpMockery (@TrumpMockery) September 14, 2018
Y’all Trump is latching onto this “3,000 people didn’t die” stuff so much that @fema created a “rumor control” page. 🤦♂️ https://t.co/AKEmavpTfj
— That Jewish Kid (@imthatjewishkid) September 14, 2018
We need a trump rumor control page. Think how busy that would be.
— Cadet Bone Spur (@scchtick) September 14, 2018
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.
