Katie Britt wants answers after FEMA supervisor instructed aid workers to bypass homes with Trump signs

November 9, 2024 - WASHINGTON, D.C., a FEMA supervisor tasked with providing aid to Americans impacted by Hurricane Milton has been fired for instructing FEMA aid workers to bypass homes of families who had a Trump sign in front of their homes. U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Alabama), in her role as the Ranking Member of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security, wrote Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell to voice her outrage of this politicization of disaster relief and demand accountability.

The FEMA supervisor instructed relief workers to "avoid homes advertising Trump," resulting in at least 20 houses with Trump campaign flags or signs being bypassed for outreach regarding possible federal disaster assistance.

"I am writing to express my outrage with recent press reports that, in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton in Florida, a Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supervisor instructed relief workers to bypass houses displaying support for President Trump . . . It is simply outrageous that any FEMA personnel, let alone a supervisor, would condition aid to victims based on their political views," wrote Senator Britt. "I appreciate that Administrator Criswell has condemned these actions and fired the supervisor, but the American people need answers regarding how this happened and if anyone else was complicit, as well as assurance it will not happen again."

The Appropriations Subcommittee on Homeland Security has jurisdiction over FEMA. Congress is expected to consider multi-agency supplemental funding in the coming weeks in order for federal disaster relief to continue to be available to Americans impacted by presidentially declared disasters, including those recovering from Hurricanes Helene and Milton.

"As Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, I have worked to ensure that FEMA's Disaster Relief Fund (DRF) has sufficient resources to respond to disasters as they occur and to assist individuals and communities recovering in the aftermath . . . Any disaster funding provided by Congress must be made available to all Americans who are victims of presidentially declared disasters, and cannot be conditioned or delayed based on their political views," continued Senator Britt.

Senator Britt is demanding Secretary Mayorkas and Administrator Criswell provide answers to her by November 15 regarding the policies in place to protect against the politicalization of aid, including what policies and circumstances would allow an individual to forgo aid to specific homes; if additional delays have taken place due to political affiliation; whether any whistleblowers have come forward; and the number of personnel aware of the FEMA supervisor's actions prior to this conduct being reported by the Daily Wire on Friday.

was terminated after advising her survivor assistance team to not go to homes with President-elect Trump campaign signs on them following the onslaught of Hurricane Milton in Florida, the agency's head confirmed.

FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell described the incident as "reprehensible," noting that "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."

Criswell acknowledged that "recently, one 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 and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation. This was reprehensible," Criswell said in a statement.

Criswell did not name the FEMA employee; but said that she has been terminated and the case has been referred to the Office of Special Counsel.

"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 said.

The workers were canvasing in Lake Placid, Florida. At least 20 homes of Trump supporters were intentionally avoided by FEMA workers due to their public political affiliations.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said that state officials are starting an investigation into the incident.

"The blatant weaponization of government by partisan activists in the federal bureaucracy is yet another reason why the Biden-Harris administration is in its final days," DeSantis saiIt id in Friday post on X. "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 in DC, and I'm optimistic that these partisan bureaucrats will be fired," Gov. DeSantis added.

It is likely that President-elect Trump will replace both Mayorkas and Criswell when he is inaugurated in January.

Sen. Katie Britt will be in the majority when the new Senate is sworn in on Jan. 1.