FEMA Official Who Says He Teleported to Waffle House Has Been Zapped Out of Job

Beam Him Up, Scotty!

Gregg Phillip previously claimed that he found himself “teleporting” into ditches

Gregg Phillips, the far-right activist installed as a high-ranking Federal Emergency Management Agency official, is out of a job at the agency.

Sources told CNN that he was pushed out after a series of wild remarks he made on right-wing podcasts, which included his claims that he had found himself “teleporting” into ditches, or even into a Waffle House. “Teleporting is no fun,” Phillips said in an interview last year. “It’s no fun because you don’t really know what you’re doing. You don’t really understand it, it’s scary, but yet so real. And you know it’s happening but you can’t do anything about it, and so you just go, you just go with the ride. And wow, what just an incredible adventure it all was.”

Phillips, who was tapped to helm the Office of Response and Recovery in December, assumed the role despite his long history of spreading election conspiracy theories, violent rhetoric and alleged abuse of office, CNN previously reported. Although the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, confirmed Thursday that Phillips was stepping away from his post for personal reasons, sources told CNN that his exit was not voluntary. The outlet said that DHS leadership had become concerned over the public’s perception of Phillips and his frequent disputes with other top officials.

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In a statement from FEMA confirming his departure, per The Washington Post, the agency said Phillips “has played a pivotal role in stabilizing the Office of Response and Recovery and advancing key reforms to strengthen our mission delivery. His leadership was instrumental in guiding FEMA’s response to Typhoon Sinlaku and the 2026 winter storm in the Southeast, ensuring effective, immediate support to communities in need.”

WaPo said that David Arnold, a senior official who left FEMA earlier this year, will return to lead the Office of Response and Recovery in an acting capacity.