2 months ago
A far-right conspiracy theorist turned high-ranking charismatic astatine nan US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) claims to person erstwhile teleported to a Waffle House.
Gregg Phillips, who successful December was appointed to lead Fema’s agency of consequence and recovery, has spoken connected “multiple podcasts” astir being teleported against his will, CNN reported connected Friday.
On a January 2025 podcast appearance, Phillips claimed that his car was “lifted up” while he was driving and transported 40 miles distant into a ditch adjacent a church. And successful different lawsuit connected nan aforesaid episode, Phillips said he was teleported 50 miles distant to a Waffle House successful Rome, Georgia, CNN elaborate successful a deep dive into Phillips’ past nationalist statements.
“I was pinch my boys 1 time, and I was telling them I was gonna spell to Waffle House and get Waffle House. And I ended up astatine a Waffle House – this was successful Georgia, and I extremity up astatine a Waffle House for illustration 50 miles distant from wherever I was,” Phillips said connected nan podcast Onward, co-hosted by rightwing activistic Catherine Engelbrecht.
Phillips added: “And they said, ‘where are you?’ and I said, ‘A Waffle House.’ And: ‘a Waffle House where?’ And I said: ‘Waffle House successful Rome, Georgia.’ And they said: "‘That’s not possible, you conscionable near present a infinitesimal ago.’ But it was possible. It was real.”
But Phillips did pass astir nan dangers of teleportation.
“Teleporting is nary fun,” he said “You cognize it’s happening, but you can’t do thing astir it, and truthful you conscionable go, you conscionable spell pinch nan ride. And wow, what conscionable an unthinkable escapade it each was.”
Waffle House is an iconic US diner concatenation known for being unfastened 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Craig Fugate, who led Fema nether Barack Obama, once said that Waffle House tin supply penetration into nan level of seriousness of disasters.
“If you get location and nan Waffle House is closed,” Fugate said “That’s really bad. That’s wherever you spell to work.”
Fema, which is overseen by nan Department of Homeland Security (DHS), is nan apical US disaster consequence and preparedness agency. As nan head of Fema’s agency of consequence and betterment – nan largest of nan agency’s divisions – Phillips is tasked pinch making recommendations connected whether national disaster declarations and assistance are needed.
On different podcast appearances, Phillips suggested that some Covid-19 and nan vaccine for it were designed to termination people, and besides claimed that Department of Homeland Security officials were “planning nan adjacent assassination attempt” of Donald Trump aft a grounded effort connected nan US president’s life successful 2024.
Fema told CNN that inquiries astir Phillips’ statements were “so silly it’s hardly worthy acknowledging”.
“DHS, FEMA, and Mr. Phillips are focused connected nan captious ngo of emergency guidance and ensuring nan information of nan American people,” nan agency told CNN. “Many of nan comments cited are taken retired of discourse aliases correspond personal, informal, jovial, and somewhat belief discussions made successful nan discourse of hardly surviving cancer; successful a backstage capacity anterior to his existent role.”
