Sabotaging Our Safety Demands Removal of FEMA Official Gregg Phillips After Doubling Down on Teleportation Claims

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Gregg Phillips, the senior FEMA official in charge of the federal government's disaster response, has doubled down on claims that he has experienced "teleportation" — including being transported to a Waffle House 50 miles away. Phillips, who serves as associate administrator for the Office of Response and Recovery at FEMA, took to Truth Social to insist his teleportation experiences were real and tied to his religious beliefs, writing "Haters gonna hate" and "I know what I've experienced." 

In response, Sabotaging Our Safety is demanding Phillips be removed from his position unless he can demonstrate the ability to take the responsibility of leading disaster response seriously.

"Gregg Phillips is wildly unfit to lead FEMA's disaster response and recovery operations. A man who refuses to retract claims about being teleported to a Waffle House, who has called for the death of a former president, and who spreads dangerous conspiracy theories about immigrants has no business overseeing disaster response for vulnerable communities," said Sabotaging Our Safety Advisory Council Member Rafael Lemaitre. "Communities in crisis deserve competent leadership — not someone skipping congressional testimony to defend supernatural claims on social media."

Phillips did not testify as planned at a House Homeland Security Committee hearing last week, with neither FEMA nor Phillips explaining his absence. At the hearing, Rep. Bennie Thompson said Phillips' appointment created  "serious concerns," while Rep. Tim Kennedy described him as "wildly unfit for his role," citing his "violent statements about former President Biden" and "deeply troubling bigoted comments about immigrants."

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