A conspiracy-driven group exploits disaster relief in a hurricane-hit town

After Hurricane Helene devastated Lake Lure, North Carolina, a group with ties to conspiracy theories arrived, offering help but spreading misinformation and distrust of federal relief efforts.

Brianna Sacks, Scott Dance, Will Oremus, Samuel Oakford, and Jeremy B. Merrill report for The Washington Post.

In short:

• Veterans on Patrol, a group fueled by anti-government conspiracy theories, set up a relief operation in a supermarket parking lot after Hurricane Helene.
• The group promoted false claims, including that the hurricane was a government plot to seize lithium-rich land, leading to distrust in FEMA.
• Local volunteers became increasingly wary as the group’s presence created tensions and disrupted relief efforts.

Key quote:

“Misinformation has always been the bane of disaster response. We’re seeing this additional layer of craven politicization about the federal disaster response itself.”

— Andy Carvin, managing editor of the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab

Why this matters:

Disaster recovery is challenging, and the spread of conspiracy theories can undermine trust in crucial relief efforts, putting lives and communities at greater risk.