A video shared on Facebook claims the military has arrested Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks on charges of treason after denying victims of the wildfires in Maui food and water.

Verdict: False

The claim stems from a satirical website. Hoofs has not been arrested, a Department of Defense spokesperson confirmed in an email to Check Your Fact.

Fact Check:

FEMA has allocated nearly $3 billion for hundreds of U.S. communities to reduce their vulnerability to extreme weather events associated with climate change, Axios reported. This money will come out of Congress’s bipartisan infrastructure law passed last year and FEMA will need Congress to approve additional spending once back in session, as the agency has run out of disaster-relief funds, according to CNN.

The Facebook post purports the FEMA Deputy Administrator has been arrested. The video shows a man with an article superimposed behind him.

The headline reads “Military Arrests FEMA Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks.”

The pictured article claims the U.S. Marines arrested Hooks “on charges of treason, alleging in a 34-page indictment that Hooks and his boss, Deanne Criswell, ordered agents in Maui to deny fire victims food and water, to inhibit civilian relief efforts.”

This claim is inaccurate, however. Check Your Fact found no credible news reports about Hooks being arrested. 

The claim originates from an article by Real Raw News. The site’s “About Us” includes a disclaimer that reads, “Information on this website is for informational and educational and entertainment purposes. This website contains humor, parody, and satire.” Check Your Fact has debunked Real Raw News several previous times. (RELATED: No, The Military Did Not Arrest The FEMA Deputy Administrator For Treason In Maui)

The FEMA press secretary posted a picture on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, on Aug. 20, showing Hooks meeting with other federal officials to discuss Hurricane Hilary.

Earlier today, @FEMA Deputy Administrator Hooks & Associate Administrator for Response & Recovery Bink met with interagency partners to coordinate response efforts for #HurricaneHilary.

The entire federal family stands ready to support states impacted by this storm as needed. pic.twitter.com/HkhxJq1jZE

— Jeremy M. Edwards (@FEMAspox) August 21, 2023

When asked whether Hooks was arrested, a Department of Defense spokesperson responded, “He was not,” in an email to Check Your Fact.

Check Your Fact has reached out to FEMA and will update this piece accordingly if one is received.