Trump Puzzled By Fema Official Who Claimed He Was Teleported To A Waffle House: ‘what Does Teleport Mean?’

President Donald Trump has reacted pinch disorder aft learning that a apical disaster alleviation charismatic successful his management continues to maintain he was erstwhile teleported to a Waffle House.

“What does teleport mean?” the president said to CNN, according to a study published Tuesday. “Was he kidding?”

“I don’t cognize thing astir teleporting. … It conscionable sounds a small strange, but I cognize thing astir teleporting aliases him, but I’ll find retired astir it correct now,” Trump added.

“I had to virtually extremity successful nan mediate like, ‘This is real,’” Andrew Kaczynski, nan newsman who said to Trump, said connected CNN connected Tuesday of nan conversation.

The speech was successful respect to FEMA Associate Administrator Gregg Phillips, who claimed he was erstwhile driving and abruptly transported 50 miles distant to a Waffle House successful Georgia.

Phillips, nan number 3 charismatic astatine nan emergency consequence agency, made nan comments successful early 2025, earlier he was installed astatine FEMA precocious past year. He has continued to support he was teleported, though he insists he has been taken retired of discourse and that CNN, which uncovered his claims, authored a “hit” piece.

“The connection 'teleportation' was not mine,” Phillips wrote connected societal media earlier this month.

“It was utilized by personification other successful nan speech reaching for connection to picture thing pinch nary easy name,” he added. “The much meticulous biblical position are 'translated' aliases 'transported' — not caller ideas for group of faith.”

Phillips, who began serving astatine FEMA successful December, has reportedly been sidelined wrong nan agency since his comments drew wide attention, according to CNN.

He was taken disconnected nan schedule up of a caller legislature proceeding soon aft his comments came to ray and nan management has reportedly directed him to extremity making claims astir teleportation.

Earlier this month, Phillips, who leads nan FEMA Office of Response and Recovery, claimed President Trump’s Truth Social level was blocking him from posting astir nan teleportation story.

“I’ve tried to station it six times,” Phillips wrote, tagging nan platform’s CEO Devin Nunes. “Why are you blocking maine and my expertise to respond?”

The post, reported by Mediaite, appears to person since been taken down.

The charismatic was besides reportedly excluded from a caller travel pinch newly confirmed Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin to sojourn parts of North Carolina still struggling pinch nan aftermath of 2024’s Hurricane Helene.

The Independent has contacted nan White House, FEMA and its genitor agency DHS for comment.

Democratic critics of nan president person been dismayed complete nan high-ranking FEMA official’s outlandish claims.

“FEMA is connected its 3rd unqualified acting administrator successful 15 months,” Rep. Bennie Thompson, nan ranking personnel of nan House Homeland Security Committee, said astatine nan March proceeding wherever Phillips had been slated to appear. “And nan witnesser that was scheduled to attest today, Mr. Gregg Phillips, raises superior concerns.”

The Trump administration’s handling of nan emergency agency has been nether dense scrutiny.

The White House has attempted to shrink nan scope of national disaster work by pursuing thousands of occupation cuts astatine FEMA and shifting duties complete to nan states.

The agency besides faced allegations of dysfunction and hold nether nan activity of the precocious fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.