Elon Musk's false claims about the Helene federal response are met with a rebuttal from Pete Buttigieg.

• On Friday, Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla, utilized his significant social media influence to spread false conspiracy theories involving federal agencies and emergency workers.
• Buttigieg responded to Musk's criticism and proposed a solution for transporting goods and services to disaster zones.

Elon Musk's X platform was used by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to address false conspiracies about federal disaster aid for Hurricane Helene victims, which Musk had spread on X, where his follower count exceeds 200 million.

"If you're encountering a problem, give me a call," said Buttigieg. "No one is shutting down the airspace and FAA doesn't block legitimate rescue and recovery flights."

Buttigieg refuted Musk's false claim that the Federal Aviation Administration was halting airspace in the disaster zone and restricting flights delivering aid.

The FAA has no airspace restrictions in North Carolina for rescue efforts due to Hurricane Helene. Pilots seeking to land at Asheville or Rutherford airports must contact the airport for permission. The FAA is collaborating with local authorities to ensure safe rescue operations.

This week, Musk has spread several conspiracies about federal emergency personnel, including a false claim, as tens of thousands of people seek disaster relief from government agencies in states affected by Helene.

Musk accused FEMA of not only failing to provide adequate assistance but also actively obstructing citizens who attempt to help in a text message post.

Federal Emergency Management Agency representatives were not immediately available to comment Friday.

In recent years, Musk has become a mega donor to the GOP and has formally endorsed Republican former President Donald Trump.

On Friday, Trump reposted Musk's unfounded statements about FEMA and FAA on his social media platform, Truth Social, to his nearly 8 million followers without adding any comments.

SpaceX and its satellite internet service brand Starlink have announced that they will donate 500 Starlink kits to aid in the recovery efforts of Helene and offer free Starlink internet service for 30 days in affected areas.

After FEMA announced that it was sending SpaceX's Starlink terminals to provide internet services to remote areas affected by the storm, this was the result.

Frequently, Musk employs X to stir controversy, but on Friday, he intensified his conflict with the U.S. government by attacking FEMA.

He has previously threatened to sue the Federal Aviation Administration, attacked the Environmental Protection Agency for penalizing SpaceX, and lashed out at other federal agencies.

Federal agencies provide billions of dollars in annual revenue to SpaceX, while Tesla has profited from federal programs that granted the company a significant loan, tax breaks, and other subsidies and incentives.

Those affected by Tropical Storm Helene in specified areas can obtain government aid through the FEMA app, which is available for download on the Apple Store or Google Play Store, via DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-3362.