The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has terminated an employee who directed disaster relief crews to skip homes displaying signs supporting President-elect Donald Trump. The incident, which took place in Lake Placid, Florida, following Hurricane Milton, sparked outrage and raised concerns about bias in federal disaster assistance.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced the firing on Saturday, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to impartial service.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Criswell condemned the behavior:
“More than 22,000 FEMA employees every day adhere to FEMA’s core values and are dedicated to helping people before, during, and after disasters, often sacrificing time with their own families to help disaster survivors.
Recently, a FEMA employee departed from these values to advise her survivor assistance team to not go to homes with yard signs supporting President-elect Trump. This is a clear violation of FEMA’s core values & principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation.
This was reprehensible. I want to be clear to all of my employees and the American people: this type of behavior and action will not be tolerated at FEMA, and we will hold people accountable if they violate these standards of conduct.”
Criswell further stated that the matter had been referred to the Office of Special Counsel for investigation, pledging to ensure such incidents do not recur.
The fired employee, identified as 38-year-old Marn’i Washington, served as the Disaster Survivor Assistance crew leader for Highlands County. According to reports from The Daily Wire, Washington instructed her team to bypass homes displaying Trump signs or flags.
The directive was allegedly given both verbally and via group chat. Screenshots obtained by The Daily Wire show FEMA workers annotating system records with notes like, “Trump sign no entry per leadership” and “Per leadership no stop Trump flag.”
Reports suggest that at least 20 homes were skipped between late October and early November, coinciding with the final weeks of the 2024 presidential election.
Several FEMA employees voiced concerns, filing whistleblower complaints with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). One employee wrote:
“If they had damage or lost power for over thirty-six hours, it was my duty to inform them of benefits to which they are entitled through FEMA. This behavior raises significant concerns of discrimination against United States citizens because of their political views.”
Another whistleblower stated:
“I volunteered to help disaster victims, not discriminate against them. It didn’t matter if people were Black, white, Hispanic, for Trump, for Harris. Everyone deserves the same amount of help.”
Employees also highlighted the moral dilemma they faced, describing the discrimination as unacceptable at a time when disaster victims were at their most vulnerable.
Washington’s alleged actions came amid broader criticism of FEMA’s slow disaster response. Following Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee, many areas experienced delays in receiving federal aid.
In Carter County, Tennessee—where 81% of voters supported Trump—FEMA relief reportedly arrived nearly two weeks after the storm. Similar delays were reported in Highlands County, Florida, a district where Trump garnered 70% of the vote.
These delays, combined with Washington’s alleged directives, further fueled public frustration and accusations of partisan bias.
While Washington was initially reassigned to another county, FEMA ultimately terminated her employment following internal investigations. According to Criswell, FEMA remains committed to serving all disaster survivors without prejudice.
The incident has raised broader questions about trust in federal agencies and the potential for political bias in disaster response. It also underscores the importance of transparency and accountability within FEMA as it works to restore public confidence.
FEMA’s swift action to address the situation is a clear message that discriminatory practices will not be tolerated. However, the incident serves as a cautionary tale about the importance of maintaining impartiality in public service roles.
For the affected communities, the focus now shifts to rebuilding and recovering from the devastation left by Hurricane Milton. As federal assistance efforts continue, FEMA must work to ensure that aid is distributed fairly, regardless of political affiliation, to uphold its mission of serving all Americans in times of crisis.
