WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government’s top disaster relief official said Sunday that false claims and conspiracy theories about the federal response to Hurricane Helene — spread most prominently by Donald Trump — are “demoralizing” aid workers and creating fear in people who need recovery assistance.

False claims about the federal response to the historic devastation left by Hurricane Helene are spreading out of control on social media, hampering the recovery efforts in hard-hit areas, according to local officials.

The former president falsely accused the Biden administration of spending disaster funding on migrants, neglecting areas that had voted for Republicans and ignoring a call from a Republican governor.

The response to Hurricane Helene's devastating landfall last month has been hampered by a slew of conspiracy theories and rapidly spreading misinformation about federal assistance to hard-hit communities,

The White House released a statement denying former President Donald Trump’s claims that the Biden administration is withholding FEMA disaster relief funds and diverting the funds to immigrants.