Trump’s Storm of Lies: MAGA’s Dangerous Dance with Disinformation

Among Donald Trump’s many falsehoods, one of the most dangerous is the illusion that he genuinely cares about his supporters. This was tragically demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic when Trump downplayed the virus, labeling it a “hoax.” His followers internalized this message, refusing to follow public health guidelines and, in many cases, even rejecting vaccination. The consequences were deadly: excess death rates among Republicans were 43% higher than those of Democrats in the months following the vaccine rollout. In essence, Trump’s falsehoods cost the lives of thousands of his supporters.

Behind these pandemic lies was a calculated gamble. Trump bet that the disinformation he spread would rally his base, regardless of the personal toll it took on them. For him, the deaths of his voters were a manageable loss, as most of these fatalities occurred after the 2020 election. As the 2024 election looms, Trump uses a similar playbook with his false claims about Hurricanes Helene and Milton. Once again, he is prioritizing political gain over the safety of his supporters, spreading misinformation about the federal response and putting lives at risk. His lies are set to endanger even more people.

Hurricane Milton and MAGA’s Climate Change Blindness

As Hurricane Milton bears down on Florida with unprecedented force, the role of climate change in intensifying such storms is undeniable—except, it seems, to Trump supporters and their allies in Washington. The warming waters of the Gulf of Mexico have supercharged Milton, but Republicans, including Trump loyalists, consistently dismiss the link between climate change and extreme weather.

Ignoring Science, Passing the Buck

In May, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a law removing all references to climate change from state legislation. Yet, just a few months later, nature had its say as Hurricanes Helene and Milton formed, threatening Florida’s coastline quickly. Helene struck just a day after over 100 Republican lawmakers voted against increasing disaster relief funds. Ohio Senator JD Vance, known for ridiculing climate science, skipped the vote, choosing instead to campaign in Michigan, where he focused on criticizing electric vehicles and accusing the Biden administration of boosting China’s economy.

Hypocrisy in Action

Among the Republicans voting against disaster relief was Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, a staunch Trump supporter. Despite her opposition to disaster aid, Luna quickly demanded federal help on social media as her district braced for Hurricane Milton. In a tweet, she urgently called for FEMA resources, conveniently forgetting her vote against the very funding she now sought.

When pressed on the contradiction, Luna falsely claimed that Democrats had passed a bill prioritizing aid for undocumented immigrants over American citizens — a claim completely unfounded. In reality, disaster relief funds for communities and aid for migrants are separate allocations.

Shifting Rhetoric as the Storm Nears

As Hurricane Milton’s destructive potential became clearer, Luna softened her stance, publicly noting her coordination with the White House to secure federal assistance. Governor DeSantis, who had defended his decision to strip climate change references from state law, also changed his tone. Acknowledging the storm’s magnitude, he admitted that some fatalities were inevitable.

Faced with forecasts of a 10-foot storm surge from Milton, DeSantis warned Floridians that “hunkering down” would not be enough to survive the storm, a stark shift from his earlier dismissal of the need for climate policy.

The Consequences of MAGA’s Climate Denial

DeSantis’s remarks underline a more significant problem — the consistent denial of climate change by MAGA supporters is not just short-sighted; it’s deadly. As Florida braces for yet another devastating storm, it is clear that ignoring the realities of climate change only worsens the impact of these natural disasters. DeSantis voted against federal aid for Hurricane Sandy victims in 2016, citing fiscal concerns. With Milton set to ravage his state, even he must acknowledge that “Mother Nature is going to win that fight.”

The question remains: how many more storms will it take for MAGA leaders to face the facts?