FEMA Official Told Employees To Avoid Helping Trump Supporters

In a shocking report that raises serious concerns about political discrimination in the federal government, a FEMA supervisor reportedly instructed aid workers to bypass homes displaying Trump signs or flags while distributing post-hurricane aid in Florida. This directive, which was allegedly given both verbally and in writing, is now under investigation after it was revealed in internal communications and confirmed by multiple federal workers. The incident occurred after Hurricane Milton struck the state in late October, devastating parts of Florida, particularly Highland County.

Marn’i Washington, a FEMA Disaster Survivor Assistance crew leader in Highland County, Florida, is said to have issued the controversial guidance to a team of aid workers. According to texts and messages reviewed by The Daily Wire, Washington specifically told workers to “avoid homes advertising Trump signs” while seeking out residents in need of disaster assistance. This directive led to multiple reports from FEMA workers who claimed they were instructed to skip homes with Trump-related political signs or flags, even though those residents were eligible for aid.

Between late October and November, at least 20 homes marked with Trump signs or flags were allegedly passed over by aid workers following Washington’s instructions. Messages logged by FEMA staff reportedly included phrases like “Trump sign no entry per leadership,” “Trump sign, no contact per leadership,” and “Trump flag, no stop per leadership.” This sparked outrage among some workers, who voiced their concerns about the ethical implications of such instructions.

Several of the FEMA employees involved expressed their dismay at what they considered an unprecedented act of political discrimination in a federal disaster relief operation. One volunteer from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spoke out to The Daily Wire, saying, “When we got there we were told to discriminate against people. It’s almost unbelievable to think that somebody in the federal government would think that’s okay.” The worker, who had volunteered to help disaster victims, emphasized that it was their job to assist all survivors, regardless of political affiliation.

“I volunteered to help disaster victims, not discriminate against them,” the employee continued. “It didn’t matter if people were black, white, Hispanic, for Trump, for Harris. Everyone deserves the same amount of help.”

Once the internal communications came to light, FEMA responded with a statement condemning the actions of the employee involved. The agency confirmed that the instructions to discriminate against Trump supporters were given by Marn’i Washington, and the matter was being taken very seriously.

“We are aware of it and we are taking action at this moment regarding the situation,” said Chad Hershey, a FEMA supervisor above Washington. “FEMA helps all survivors regardless of their political preference or affiliation and we are deeply disturbed by this employee’s actions.”

The agency’s statement went on to say that Washington’s instructions were not sanctioned by FEMA leadership and that she had no authority to direct workers to avoid homes with Trump signs. “While we believe this is an isolated incident,” FEMA continued, “we have taken measures to remove the employee from their role and are investigating the matter to prevent this from ever happening again.”

The idea that some individuals were denied assistance because of their political views is not only concerning—it undermines the principles of fairness and equality that are supposed to define the federal government.

The decision to target homes with Trump signs for exclusion from aid is particularly troubling given the political makeup of Highland County, where the alleged directive took place. According to voting records, nearly 70% of residents in this Florida county supported Trump in the 2024 election. The fact that a large portion of the population in the affected areas may have been penalized for their political views adds another layer of complexity to this controversy.

In a highly polarized political climate, where trust in government institutions is historically low, incidents like this have the potential to drastically deepen divisions. For FEMA, the task of maintaining the public’s confidence is now more critical than ever, especially following public backlash after it was revealed that the agency had spent significant funding on migrants and was “out of money” by the time Hurricanes Helene and Milton hit Florida.

As FEMA investigates the matter, it must ensure that its employees are held to the highest standards of professionalism and impartiality. The federal government’s response to future disasters must be free from political bias to restore the faith of all Americans—whether they support Trump or not—in the agencies that are meant to serve them in their most vulnerable moments.