Fascists lie to erode trust in the government institutions that help society function. If enough people think that the institution is broken, then those people don't mind a little rule breaking to put their guy in charge....after all everyone is breaking the rules.
Not just that, there's a bunch of nutjobs that believe FEMA is using the disaster as cover to nationalize the lithium mines near Chimney Rock. There are groups organizing to try to hunt down first responders.
The problem is not what he is lying about this time
The problem is news services like NYT trying to normalize and accept that someone like Turnip should be presented as a sane public figure that has something to say.
He lies because he's saying things his base wants to hear. He knows he has people who will believe whatever he says, no matter how senseless or extreme. And if confronted with facts that Trump is wrong, they'll justify it in some way: he's joking, or being sarcastic, or people are misinterpreting his equivocation. It's just ego masturbation