Trump's FEMA disaster chief claimed he 'teleported' to a Waffle House 50 miles away

The man Donald Trump put in charge of America's disaster response has claimed on multiple podcasts that he once teleported involuntarily to a Waffle House in Rome, Georgia — and that his car was lifted off the ground and carried 40 miles before being dropped in a ditch near a church.

“Teleporting is no fun,” Gregg Phillips told listeners in comments flagged by CNN's KFILE. “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 um – but 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 also claimed that his vehicle “lifted up” as he drove, and carried him 40 miles away from Albany, Georgia, setting him down in a ditch near a church.

Phillips was appointed in December to lead FEMA's Office of Response and Recovery, one of the most consequential jobs in federal emergency management. He rose to prominence as a far-right conspiracy theorist who helped spread the baseless claim that millions of illegal votes were cast in 2016.

In January 2025, Phillips said former President Joe Biden ought to die.

“I would like to punch that b---- in the mouth right now," Phillips said. "He is a nasty, s---, crappy human being, and he deserves to die. And I hope he does."

He also suggested COVID-19 was engineered to kill people, claimed a Chinese army was being imported to kill Americans, and appeared in "2000 Mules," a since-retracted election fraud film whose distributor was forced to issue a public apology.

A FEMA spokesperson downplayed the remarks, telling CNN, “This is so silly it’s barely worth acknowledging."

"DHS, FEMA, and Mr. Phillips are focused on the critical mission of emergency management and ensuring the safety of the American people. Many of the comments cited are taken out of context or represent personal, informal, jovial, and somewhat spiritual discussions made in the context of barely surviving cancer; in a private capacity prior to his current role," the spokesperson said.

Career FEMA officials expressed alarm when Phillips arrived. After watching him in action during January's brutal winter storms, some slightly softened.

"Gregg Phillips is FEMA's best hope at this moment," one senior official told CNN. "I can't believe I'm saying that."