The Daily Wire claims a Federal Emergency Management Agency staffer told employees to ignore tornado-stricken buildings if they had Trump signs
A supervisor for the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) ordered her subordinates to deliberately ignore hurricane-stricken households in Florida that had pro-Trump signs, the Daily Wire claimed on Friday. Authorities told the media outlet they were “seriously” investigating the allegations, vowing that there will be consequences for those responsible.
Described by the National Hurricane Center as “one of the most destructive hurricanes on record for west-central Florida,” the Category 3 Hurricane Milton made landfall in mid-October, causing destructive tornadoes and torrential rainfall and claiming 32 lives.
In its exclusive report, the Daily Wire, citing internal correspondence it has obtained as well as several anonymous employees, claimed that FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crew leader Marn’i Washington had instructed her subordinates first verbally, and then in a group chat that it would be “best practice” to “avoid homes advertising Trump.” The official, who was working in Florida’s Highlands County, reportedly did not offer any explanation for the supposed guidelines.
The media outlet pointed out that the area in question is “deep-red,” with 70% of its residents backing Donald Trump in the November 5 presidential election.
The Daily Wire quoted the unnamed federal employees as estimating that at least 20 homes with Trump signs or flags had been skipped from late October and into November as a result, meaning that they were effectively denied the opportunity to qualify for government aid.
The publication, citing photos of internal communications among team members, alleged that at least some of the personnel had complied with Washington’s alleged order, with several addresses presumably marked in an internal system as “Trump sign no entry per leadership,” “per leadership no stop Trump flag,” “Trump sign,” as well as “Trump sign, no contact per leadership.”
One of the unnamed employees told the Daily Wire how it was “almost unbelievable to think that somebody in the federal government would think that’s okay.”
The article claimed that “by October 30, Washington had started walking back the instructions,” denying that any homes had been skipped.
Following the publication of the story, a FEMA spokesperson reached out to the Daily Wire, saying in an e-mail that the agency was “horrified” by the employee’s alleged orders, and that it has “taken extreme actions to correct this situation.” According to the media outlet, the official reassured it that FEMA had “taken measures to remove the employee from their role.”
However, Washington has not been punished yet, but rather simply transferred to another county in Florida, the article added, citing anonymous employees.
