A Federal Emergency Management Agency official has been fired after allegedly directing relief workers to avoid homes displaying signs of support for Donald Trump in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton.
The controversy is now under investigation by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) official, whose identity has not yet been revealed as of the time of publication, reportedly instructed workers in Lake Placid, Florida, to skip over homes with any supportive Trump flags or signs. According to communication screenshots obtained by The Daily Wire, at least 20 homes in the area were bypassed during the storm relief efforts, with workers recording notes like, “Trump sign no entry per leadership.”
These bypasses allegedly took place from late October into early November as the agency worked to provide aid to areas severely impacted by Hurricane Milton.
On Saturday, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell confirmed that the FEMA employee involved in the situation had been terminated, according to Fox 4 KDFW. Criswell also condemned the employee’s actions, calling them “reprehensible” and a violation of FEMA’s core principles of “impartiality” in disaster relief.
The controversy centers around Highlands County, a conservative stronghold in south-central Florida, where the Category 3 storm caused significant damage. The area, which heavily backed Trump in the 2020 election, was among the hardest hit by flooding, tornadoes, and high winds.
DeSantis quickly condemned the actions, calling them an example of “partisan weaponization” within the “federal bureaucracy” of the Biden-Harris administration.
“At my direction, the Division of Emergency Management is launching an investigation into the federal government’s targeted discrimination of Floridians who support Donald Trump. New leadership is on the way to D.C., and I’m optimistic that these partisan bureaucrats will be fired,” DeSantis said in a statement on X.
The incident has also drawn criticism from Republicans in Congress, including Rep. James Comer (R-KY), who recently accused FEMA of mishandling the situation by not immediately firing the FEMA employee responsible.
“FEMA hasn’t fired this person… But the IRS has been trying to force IRS whistleblower Gary Shapley out for blowing the whistle! We must hold these unelected bureaucrats accountable,” Comer posted.
“I’m calling on FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell to appear & testify before the House Oversight Committee at a hearing on November 19. FEMA has a responsibility to all Americans & @GOPoversight is committed to ensuring FEMA adheres to its disaster relief mission,” he added via another post to X on Saturday.
As of now, FEMA is reaching out to residents who may have been purposely overlooked during the recovery process while the investigation continues. According to Fox, the agency claims it has already assisted over 365,000 households in Florida following Hurricanes Helene and Milton, disbursing nearly $900 million in aid to survivors.