gregg phillips / fema / teleportation

A New York Times piece reports that Gregg Phillips, a newly appointed FEMA official, claimed on podcasts and social media that he once teleported to a Waffle House in Rome, Georgia — a claim uncorroborated by workers and patrons at the city’s three Waffle House locations. Phillips, 65, formerly a Texas health official and known for promoting election-fraud conspiracy theories tied to Donald Trump, now oversees FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery, which manages disaster response with a large staff and budget. CNN previously detailed Phillips’s history of conspiracy rhetoric and violent language. The article highlights concerns about credibility and judgment for a senior emergency-management appointee.

A New York Times piece reports that Gregg Phillips, a newly appointed FEMA official, claimed to have teleported to a Waffle House in Rome, Ga., but employees and regulars at three local Waffle House locations say no one recalls such an incident. Phillips, 65, a former Texas health official known for promoting election-fraud conspiracy theories, leads FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery, which manages disaster responses with a sizable staff and budget. The article notes broader concerns after a CNN investigation found Phillips spreading conspiracy theories, using violent rhetoric about President Biden, and recounting alleged unexplained relocations—raising questions about his fitness for a senior FEMA role.

A New York Times piece scrutinizes Gregg Phillips, a FEMA official appointed in December to lead the agency’s Office of Response and Recovery, after reports he claimed to have “teleported” to a Waffle House in Rome, Ga. Local staff and patrons at multiple Rome Waffle House locations said they never saw or knew of such an event. The article ties the odd anecdote to broader concerns: Phillips’ history of promoting election-fraud conspiracy theories and violent rhetoric, which CNN previously documented. His leadership role matters because the office he oversees has more than 1,000 employees and a nearly $300 million budget central to disaster response, raising questions about vetting and credibility within FEMA.

Gregg Phillips, FEMA’s associate administrator for the Office of Response and Recovery, defended on social media his past claim that he was “teleported” miles away, saying the experiences were real, tied to his Christian faith, and occurred during cancer treatments. CNN previously reported Phillips described multiple incidents on a podcast, including appearing about 50 miles away at a Waffle House. The report also highlighted Phillips’ history of violent rhetoric and conspiracy claims, including saying former President Joe Biden “deserves to die” and warning that migrants were coming to kill Americans. Phillips was removed from a scheduled appearance at a March 25 House Homeland Security Committee hearing on a DHS shutdown; FEMA and Phillips did not explain why. Democrats Bennie Thompson and Tim Kennedy criticized his fitness for leadership.

FEMA associate administrator Gregg Phillips publicly defended claims that he experienced episodes of “teleportation,” linking them to a spiritual journey during cancer treatment and citing biblical precedents, after CNN and lawmakers scrutinized his remarks. Phillips, who oversees disaster response and recovery, repeated his stance on Truth Social and said critics took his comments out of context. His past podcast statements—including violent rhetoric about President Biden, anti-immigrant warnings, and promotion of election fraud theories—have already prompted concern among career FEMA staff and members of Congress. Phillips was removed from the witness list for a House Homeland Security hearing on DHS shutdown impacts, and lawmakers said his statements and history raise doubts about his fitness for the role. The episode matters because leadership credibility at FEMA affects public trust in disaster response and DHS oversight.