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Fearmongering and gaslighting have reached a fever pitch with the Washington Post making an unsubstantiated claim that roving trucks of armed militia are “out hunting” FEMA agents in a North Carolina county.

It took days for FEMA to land on the ground in North Carolina after Hurricane Helene, forcing residents, former military, law enforcement, and volunteer groups to do the heavy lifting of rescue and supply. Now, FEMA claims it was targeted in at least one North Carolina county by armed personnel who are hunting them down. There is no proof that this is the case but the media is running with the story that was put out there by WaPo with the deliberate intent of FEMA to paint themselves as victims.

“The Federal Emergency Management Agency has said it has made ‘operational adjustments’ in North Carolina amid concerns that an armed militia is threatening government workers,” Newsweek reported.

As reported by NBC, “According to the Washington Post, an urgent message was sent to numerous federal agencies on Saturday warning FEMA has advised all federal responders in Rutherford County, North Carolina to stand down and evacuate the county immediately. Adding that National Guard troops had come across trucks of armed militia saying they were out hunting FEMA. NBC News has not seen the emails cited by the Post and it’s unclear whether the threat mentioned was seen as credible.”

Notice how that so-called reporting was couched. On one hand, it’s reported there are roving gangs of armed militia intent on tracking down FEMA workers and as an afterthought, it’s reported that it is not known if it is credible. It fits the very definition of gaslighting. The cited emails supposedly came from the U.S. Forest Service.

FEMA spoke with Newsweek and gave the vague statement that the agency was making changes to its recovery efforts to keep everyone safe.

“FEMA continues to support communities impacted by Helene and help survivors apply for assistance,” the spokesperson told the media outlet. “For the safety of our dedicated staff and the disaster survivors we are helping, FEMA has made some operational adjustments. Disaster Recovery Centers will continue to be open as scheduled, survivors continue to register for assistance, and we continue to help the people of North Carolina with their recovery.”

“Newsweek has learned that disaster survivor assistance teams are currently working at fixed locations and secure areas and are no longer going door to door out of an abundance of caution,” Newsweek added.

The media outlet also brought up the left’s new mantra of how they are fighting misinformation concerning the hurricane.

“Some on social media called for FEMA to be targeted after a rumor that the devastated North Carolina town of Chimney Rock was going to be seized and bulldozed by the government circulated online despite local authorities and news outlets debunking the claim,” Newsweek asserted.

“Former President Donald Trump and others have also fueled false claims that FEMA has not been able to respond well enough because it diverted disaster relief funds to help migrants. That is not true—while FEMA administers the Shelter and Services Program, funding comes from a separate pot of money funded by Congress for U.S. Customs and Border Protection,” the outlet went on to further claim.

“Other false claims have also been made, including that people taking federal relief money could see their land seized or that $750 is the most they will ever get to rebuild. FEMA has set up a page on its website to combat misinformation and rumors,” Newsweek wrote.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell has been at the forefront of decrying alleged misinformation in an apparent effort to cover for failed efforts during Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

“We have thousands of people on the ground, not just federal, but also our volunteers in the private sector,” Criswell proclaimed during a news conference in Asheville on October 7. “And frankly, that type of rhetoric is demoralizing to our staff that have left their families to come here and help the people of North Carolina. And we will be here as long as they’re needed.”

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