Democrats Say FEMA Official Who Has Claimed to Be Teleported Is ‘Unfit’ for Role
A FEMA disaster-response leader skipped a key shutdown hearing as Democrats highlighted his conspiracy talk and violent rhetoric—raising basic questions about competence and accountability during a strained disaster season.
Mar 25, 2026
Sources
Summary
Democrats criticized FEMA Associate Administrator Gregg Phillips after he did not appear for scheduled testimony at a March 25, 2026 House Homeland Security hearing on the DHS shutdown. The story spotlights his bizarre “teleportation” claims and inflammatory statements, but offers limited verified detail on his actual FEMA responsibilities, performance, or why he was swapped out at the last minute. It matters because FEMA’s response capacity and the Disaster Relief Fund are under pressure during a prolonged funding lapse with hurricane season approaching.
Reality Check
The strongest confirmed facts are procedural and operational: Phillips was slated to testify on March 25, 2026 and did not, FEMA sent a different official, and FEMA warned Congress the shutdown is constraining operations while the Disaster Relief Fund sits around $3.6 billion. (notus.org)
The “teleportation” and other incendiary comments are politically relevant mostly as signals about judgment and fitness for public leadership; they do not, by themselves, establish how FEMA’s response function is being run day-to-day. A more complete assessment would require specific, sourced information about his management record in the FEMA role, what authority he exercises in Response and Recovery, and the actual reason he missed the hearing (beyond “emergency”). (notus.org)
Detail
FEMA Associate Administrator Gregg Phillips was scheduled to testify to the House Committee on Homeland Security on Wednesday, March 25, 2026, about impacts of the ongoing DHS shutdown, but did not appear and was replaced by FEMA external affairs associate Victoria Barton. (notus.org)
Rep. Bennie Thompson (ranking member) said Phillips’ absence was due to an “emergency,” and said FEMA and DHS did not immediately respond to the outlet’s request for comment. (notus.org)
Democratic lawmakers cited Phillips’ past statements as disqualifying, including claims that he was “teleported” (including to a Waffle House) and comments they described as violent and bigoted. (notus.org)
Phillips was appointed in December to lead FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery (FEMA’s largest division), a role that does not require Senate confirmation. (notus.org)
At the hearing, Barton warned the shutdown was limiting FEMA operations and said the Disaster Relief Fund had dwindled to about $3.6 billion, with hurricane season approaching. (notus.org)
The House Homeland Security Committee hearing was titled “Funding Lapse and Security Gaps: Assessing the Harmful Impacts of the DHS Shutdown on Americans,” held March 25, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. ET. (homeland.house.gov)
Other contemporaneous coverage described the DHS funding lapse as roughly 40 days long, suggesting the shutdown timeline cited in some accounts varies by reference point. (msn.com)