A Federal Emergency Management Agency manager, Marn’i Washington, says she was fired as a scapegoat to avoid “retribution” from President Trump after hurricane relief aides in Florida and the Carolinas were told to skip some of his supporters’ homes because of “political hostility.” 

Ms. Washington says the decision to terminate her job was a political one made by FEMA leaders to show Trump that they are “loyal to him because they fear retribution.”

During an interview with journalist Roland Martin, the former staffer sought to defend the decision to tell others to avoid homes with Trump yard signs, saying it was standard practice when a “community trend” of “political hostility” emerged. 

“Once we start seeing a trend, for example, if they just so happen to have these Trump campaign signs in front of their homes, and that’s the characteristic that’s coming along with that, we have to proceed with caution,” Ms. Washington said.

She also said there was “avoidance in the Carolinas,” in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, in addition to Florida.

Mr. Martin sought to clarify her comment, asking what would happen if FEMA employees were canvassing a street where eight houses had Trump yard signs, and residents of three of those houses expressed “hostility.” Ms. Washington said she would tell her superiors that staffers are “experiencing hostile encounters,” and then her team would move to another street.

“That’s the directive,” Ms. Washington added, saying her superiors told her that if her team feels “uncomfortable” or unsafe, they should simply move on to other homes. 

FEMA did not respond to a request for comment by publication time. 

Ms. Washington was fired after the Daily Wire reported that more than 20 homes in Florida were skipped by FEMA employees surveying damage from hurricanes Helene and Milton because they had Trump yard signs. 

The FEMA administrator, Deanne Criswell, said the decision to skip homes with Trump flags is a “clear violation of FEMA’s core values and principles to help people regardless of their political affiliation.”

Governor DeSantis called the report evidence of “targeted discrimination” and said the Florida Division of Emergency Management would investigate the allegations.

According to a post on X by the GOP-led House Committee on Oversight and Accountability, Ms. Criswell is due to testify about the allegations of favoritism by FEMA next week. “We look forward to hearing what she has to say about these allegations and more,” the committee said.