Trump Expresses Confusion Over FEMA Official's Teleportation Claims

Gregg Phillips' outlandish stories about supernatural experiences raise eyebrows within the agency.

Apr. 15, 2026 at 9:09pm

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A photorealistic painting of a government vehicle or building in a quiet urban setting, with warm sunlight casting long shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of uncertainty and unease surrounding the credibility of a FEMA official.The growing skepticism over a FEMA official's supernatural claims casts a somber shadow over the agency's critical emergency response efforts.Indianapolis Today

Former President Donald Trump expressed confusion and skepticism over claims made by Gregg Phillips, a senior official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), that he had been teleported to a Waffle House restaurant 50 miles from where he was previously. Phillips has a history of promoting unfounded election fraud claims and sharing stories that 'blur the boundary between the ordinary and the supernatural'.

Why it matters

Phillips' outlandish claims, including stories about Satan speaking to him and waking up in a McDonald's parking lot, have raised concerns within FEMA about the credibility and judgment of a senior official responsible for emergency response and recovery efforts. Trump's public questioning of the teleportation story further highlights the growing skepticism around Phillips' behavior and fitness for his role.

The details

In a recent interview with CNN, Trump expressed confusion over Phillips' claim that he had been teleported to a Waffle House, asking 'What does teleport mean? Was he kidding?' Trump said he knew nothing about teleporting or Phillips, but would look into the matter. Phillips, who was tapped to head FEMA's Office of Response and Recovery last December, has a history of sharing supernatural stories on right-wing podcasts and social media, including claims that a dead girlfriend once lifted his car off the road and that Satan spoke to him while he walked across Spain.

  • In March 2026, CNN first reported on Phillips' claim that he had been teleported to a Waffle House.
  • In April 2026, Trump expressed his confusion over the teleportation claim in a phone interview with CNN.

The players

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who expressed skepticism over Gregg Phillips' teleportation claims.

Gregg Phillips

A senior official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) who has a history of promoting unfounded election fraud claims and sharing stories about supernatural experiences.

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

The U.S. government agency responsible for coordinating the response to disasters and emergencies, where Gregg Phillips holds a senior position.

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What they’re saying

“What does teleport mean? Was he kidding?”

— Donald Trump, Former President

“I have been fighting cancer, first as prostate cancer and then as stage four metastatic bone cancer, since 2019. In 2023, I was given less than 12 months to live. When conventional medicine had exhausted its options, I embarked on an alternative protocol and documented it honestly – twelve weeks, in real time. The episode that became the basis for the recent press coverage was in the very first week. I was in the opening days of intensive treatment, heavily medicated, not thinking about future headlines. That context was nowhere in the reporting.”

— Gregg Phillips, FEMA Official

What’s next

The Biden administration is expected to review Phillips' fitness for his role at FEMA in light of the growing concerns over his credibility and judgment.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the challenges of having senior government officials with a history of promoting unsubstantiated claims and sharing questionable personal stories, which can undermine public trust in critical emergency response agencies like FEMA.