By John Q. Hosedrinker 
Following a New York Times report detailing unanswered calls to FEMA in the wake of devastating Texas floods, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem dismissed the claims as “fake news.” The report indicated that a new policy requiring Noem’s signature on contracts, which she had not yet authorized, led to call center staffing shortages. Despite these reports and FEMA’s own internal assessment of being unprepared, Noem maintained that the federal response was immediate and that the agency is being “redeployed in a new way.” This denial comes amid the administration’s stated goals of dismantling or fundamentally reforming FEMA.
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Documents Show FEMA Calls Went Unanswered, and as you might expect, the reaction to this revelation from certain corners of the political spectrum is pretty predictable. Instead of addressing the core issue – thousands of calls to FEMA going unanswered after a devastating flood – the response has been a familiar refrain: “fake news.” And who’s singing this tune? Well, in this case, it’s Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. The playbook is well-worn at this point: deny, deflect, and hope the base believes it. It’s a strategy that seems to work surprisingly well for some, regardless of the actual evidence.
Kristi Noem’s insistence on labeling the reports as “fake news” is a classic move. It’s the go-to response when facing uncomfortable truths or inconvenient facts. It’s a way to try to control the narrative, to cast doubt on anything that challenges their preferred version of reality. It’s a tactic that relies on a loyal base of supporters, many of whom are seemingly predisposed to believe the denials, no matter the evidence. We’ve seen this pattern repeatedly, a pattern that feels almost choreographed.
The irony is that this “fake news” accusation is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy. The more this phrase is tossed around, the less credibility it holds. The public is getting wise to the game. And yet, it continues to be deployed, presumably because it still works for a certain segment of the population. It is designed to short-circuit critical thinking and breed doubt. The phrase is the enemy of truth in the bizzaro world of MAGA.
The core problem here is the apparent failure of FEMA to answer calls during a crisis. This is a critical agency, especially in times of natural disaster. If FEMA is not responsive, people suffer. Lives are at stake. To simply dismiss reports of unanswered calls as “fake news” is not only a disservice to those affected by the floods but also a dangerous abdication of responsibility. A critical agency is not doing its job and the reaction is to call it fake news. It is a blatant disregard for the real world.
The fact that such a response is now expected is a sad commentary on the current political climate. It suggests a deeply entrenched distrust of the media, of expertise, and of anything that doesn’t align with a particular ideological viewpoint. When the evidence is clear, and the response is denial, it speaks volumes.
This isn’t just about one instance or one official. It’s representative of a broader trend of undermining institutions and disregarding established facts. It’s the constant drumbeat of “fake news,” “alternative facts,” and the rejection of anything that doesn’t fit the desired narrative. It’s a strategy designed to sow chaos and confusion, to make it impossible to determine what is true and what isn’t.
Rolling Stone picked up on this, and that’s important. Although, even with their efforts, the mainstream media needs to hold these people to a higher standard. The public needs to know who to trust. They need to get better at countering this bullshit. We have to be prepared to hold these people accountable when they lie to our faces. Expect the lies. Expect the deflections. Demand the truth.
And the truth, in this case, appears to be that FEMA failed to answer thousands of calls. Dismissing this with a simple “fake news” is not only insulting but also a sign of a serious problem. It tells us where the priorities truly lie. It tells us who is truly in charge and what their agenda is. We will continue to see this, again and again.
In the end, the response of “fake news” isn’t just a lie; it is an insult. It is an insult to the victims of the floods, to the journalists who reported the story, and to anyone who values honesty and accountability. This entire affair is a testament to a cynical and disturbing trend in politics. The pattern is clear: when faced with uncomfortable facts, the reaction is a dismissive denial. It is a sad state of affairs and it’s a pattern that must be called out.