FEMA Official’s Teleportation Claim Leads to Departure, Sources Report
FEMA official who claimed he teleported – Four sources have informed CNN that a senior FEMA official, Gregg Phillips, has been removed from his position. The official had drawn criticism for his unusual remarks, such as stating he had teleported to a Waffle House. Phillips was appointed in December by White House officials to helm FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery, a critical leadership role, despite his history of advocating election conspiracy theories, especially after the 2020 election.
Scrutiny Following Outlandish Comments
In March, Phillips faced national backlash after CNN published a collection of eccentric statements from his appearances on right-wing podcasts. Among these were claims of physical teleportation, including one where he said he suddenly appeared at a Waffle House 50 miles away from his previous location. The Department of Homeland Security, which supervises FEMA, announced Thursday that Phillips is departing the agency, citing personal reasons for his leave. However, sources suggest the exit was not voluntary, driven by growing frustration over his public image and recurring conflicts with other department leaders.
Resistance to Agency Restructuring
Upon his arrival, then-Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and her chief of staff Corey Lewandowski pushed to reduce FEMA’s size and control its funding. FEMA officials noted that Phillips stood out for opposing these cuts, which could have weakened the agency’s effectiveness. Despite his controversial remarks, he retained support from some career staff within FEMA.
CNN previously detailed Phillips’ history of provocative public statements. He had expressed violent rhetoric toward political opponents, promoted false claims of election fraud, and warned that migrants were coming to kill Americans. He urged listeners to arm themselves in one such comment. The Washington Post first reported his departure, and Trump later remarked on his teleportation claims, saying, “It sounds a little strange,” and promised to investigate further.
“I know nothing about teleporting or him, but I’ll find out about it right now.”
The story has been updated with additional details.
