A senior US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) official appointed last month has claimed in previous podcast appearances that he once teleported to a Waffle House restaurant. Gregg Phillips, chosen in December to lead Fema's Office of Response and Recovery, made the remarks on a programme called Onward, co-hosted by right-wing activist Catherine Engelbrecht.
During the January 2025 episode, Phillips stated that he was teleported 50 miles to a Waffle House in Rome, Georgia. He said he had told his children he was going to get Waffle House and then suddenly ended up at the restaurant far from his original location. 'They said, “where are you?” and I said, “a Waffle House.” And: “a Waffle House where?” And I said: “Waffle House in Rome, Georgia.” And they said: “That’s not possible.” But it was real,' Phillips recounted.
In the same podcast, Phillips also said his car was 'lifted up' while driving and transported 40 miles into a ditch near a church. He described teleportation as 'no fun' but 'an incredible adventure'. CNN reported that Phillips, a far-right conspiracy theorist, has made other controversial statements, including claims that Covid-19 and its vaccine were designed to kill and that Department of Homeland Security officials planned an assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
Fema, overseen by the Department of Homeland Security, is the lead US disaster response agency. As director of the Office of Response and Recovery, Phillips recommends whether federal disaster declarations and aid are needed. Fema told CNN that inquiries about his statements were 'so silly it’s barely worth acknowledging', adding that the comments were made in a private capacity and were 'jovial' and 'spiritual' in nature.
