Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg spoke directly to Elon Musk Friday on the billionaire’s X platform, part of an effort to counter false conspiracies about federal disaster aid for victims of Hurricane Helene that Musk spread on X, where his follower count stands over 200 million.
“No one is shutting down the airspace and FAA doesn’t block legitimate rescue and recovery flights,” wrote Buttigieg. “If you’re encountering a problem give me a call.”
Buttigieg was replying to a post from Musk that falsely claimed the Federal Aviation Administration was shutting down airspace in the disaster zone and “throttling” flights transporting supplies.
An FAA spokesperson told CNBC, “There are no airspace restrictions in place in North Carolina as rescue efforts continue because of Hurricane Helene. Pilots looking to come into Asheville or Rutherford airports need to reach out to the airport for permission to land. The FAA is working with local authorities to ensure rescue efforts happen safely.”
Musk’s false claim was one of several conspiracies Musk has spread about federal emergency personnel this week, as tens of thousands of people turn to government agencies for disaster relief in states hard-hit by Helene.
“@FEMA is not merely failing to adequately help people in trouble, but is actively blocking citizens who try to help!” Musk said in an apparent text message within his social post.
A spokeswoman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency responded to Musk in a statement to CNBC: “The claims about FEMA confiscating or taking commodities, supplies or resources in North Carolina, Tennessee, or any state impacted by Helene are false,” said public affairs director Jaclyn Rothenberg.
FEMA has deployed Starlinks before to assist in disaster response in places like Guam, Hawaii and Alaska, she noted. In storm-ravaged North Carolina, Starlink units are supporting state and local governments, urban search and rescue and disaster coordination efforts.
Musk has formally endorsed Republican former President Donald Trump, and he has become a mega donor to the GOP in recent years.
On Friday, Trump amplified Musk’s false claims about FEMA and FAA on Trump’s own social media platform, Truth Social, where he posted them without comment to his nearly 8 million followers.
Musk’s SpaceX and its satellite internet service brand Starlink, have previously said that they would send approximately 500 Starlink kits, donated by private individuals and organizations, to help with the Helene recovery efforts. They also made Starlink internet service free for users for 30 days in areas devastated by Helene.
This was after FEMA had previously announced it was dispatching SpaceX’s Starlink terminals to bring internet services to remote areas hit by the storm.
Musk frequently uses X to provoke — but in lashing out at FEMA on Friday, he escalated his battle with the U.S. government.
He has previously threatened to sue the Federal Aviation Administration, attacked the Environmental Protection Agency for penalizing SpaceX, and lashed out at other federal agencies.
Musk’s SpaceX depends upon federal agencies for what amounts to billions of dollars in annual revenue, and his automaker Tesla has handsomely benefitted from federal programs that gave the company a crucial loan, tax breaks and other subsidies and incentives.
People who have suffered loss or damage due to Tropical Storm Helene in designated counties, can apply for government assistance using the FEMA app, which can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play Store, by visiting DisasterAssistance.gov, or by calling 1-800-621-3362.
— NBC’s Cristian Santana contributed reporting