Elon Musk has decided to enter the fray with Donald Trump regarding the federal response to Hurricane Helene.
Since the Hurricane Helene disaster, SpaceX has sent as many Starlink terminals as possible to help areas in need.
Earlier today, @realDonaldTrump alerted me to additional people who need Starlink Internet in North Carolina. We are sending them terminals right away.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 1, 2024
Trump is taking credit for getting Appalachians connected to Elon Musk’s Starlink before President Joe Biden could, and Musk—a keen supporter of Trump—is bolstering this claim. “I just spoke to Elon.
We want to get Starlink hooked up because they have no communication whatsoever. And Elon will always come through. We know that,” Trump said Monday during a visit to Georgia, while disputing the federal response to Hurricane Helene.
“I want to thank Elon Musk for responding to my request that Starlink be provided to North Carolina.” pic.twitter.com/GTrYgImE4v
— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) October 1, 2024
Musk backs Trump on Starlink efforts
“And so we’re working on that, getting them hooked up.”
Starlink providing internet access after Hurricane Helene
“Thank you to the truck drivers for getting these here in less than 12 hours and driving through the night. They are going out to the helicopters this morning”pic.twitter.com/i6aoLZum7l— Tesla Owners Silicon Valley (@teslaownersSV) October 1, 2024
Ivanka Trump helps deliver Starlink units to those affected in North Carolina.
— DogeDesigner (@cb_doge) October 2, 2024
Musk backed Trump’s claim on Tuesday morning, asserting that Trump alerted him to additional people needing Starlink Internet in North Carolina. However, a White House spokesperson, Andrew Bates, indicated that this was “already happening.”
A Monday press release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) stated that 40 Starlink satellite systems are available in the region for emergency communications, with another 140 satellites being shipped to assist with communications infrastructure restoration.
Jaclyn Rothenberg, director of public affairs for FEMA, confirmed to Business Insider that Trump wasn’t involved in sending satellites to disaster areas, emphasizing that the decision was made by the federal government on Sunday. In his speech, Trump implied the need for more Starlink satellites, likely downplaying the Biden administration’s efforts. Musk’s involvement furthered the narrative that Biden is “sleeping” through the hurricane damage.
Additionally, Trump accused North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper of ignoring Republican-hit areas and claimed Georgia Governor Brian Kemp struggled to contact President Biden, despite Biden having spoken with Kemp the day prior. This suggests Trump and his allies are using this disaster for political gain.
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