Republicans grapple with storm misinformation from their own party

Republicans representing states hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton are grappling with the spread of storm misinformation, much of which has stemmed from prominent figures in their own party — including sitting lawmakers and former President Trump.

The false claims have run rampant on social media since the deadly pair of storms made their way through parts of the Southeast — most notably Florida and North Carolina — with Republicans floating inaccurate allegations about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), disaster relief and the weather.

Some House GOP lawmakers who hail from hard-hit states have publicly pushed back on the misinformation, highlighting divisions in the Republican Party with less than a month to go until Election Day.

But the lawmakers — who are reluctant to take on Trump and other party leaders, and share some of their frustrations with the emergency response — are walking a careful line.