Waffle House Teleporter Gregg Phillips Is Still on the Trump Administration’s Payroll
Gregg Phillips, a former FEMA official known for promoting false claims of widespread election fraud, remains on the Trump administration’s payroll while on administrative leave, according to the White House. His continued employment matters because his precise role and work since leaving FEMA’s Office of Response and Recovery in June remain unclear, despite recent public appearances and posts suggesting a return to election-related activism.
Phillips said he had been in the administration since last year and would soon “rejoin the fight”; he was later photographed at a Department of Justice building with Ed Martin. Federal employees on administrative leave retain full pay and benefits, while FEMA sources told WIRED Phillips has not been seen at its headquarters since June. Phillips previously helped provide material for the debunked film 2000 Mules and has repeatedly advanced allegations about non-citizen voting, which the article says are extremely rare.
- Former FEMA official Gregg Phillips remains on paid administrative leave.
- His current government role and duties are unclear.
- Phillips has a history of promoting debunked election-fraud claims.
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FEMA is the US government agency that leads federal responses to disasters. Its Office of Response and Recovery helps communities prepare for and recover from emergencies, while the White House oversees the president’s administration and federal agencies.
Gregg Phillips is a former FEMA official who has promoted claims of widespread election fraud, including allegations about non-citizen voting. He also helped provide material for the film 2000 Mules, whose claims were debunked.
The issue concerns how a federal employee’s status and public activities are handled when his government role is unclear. Administrative leave means an employee stays on the payroll while not carrying out their usual duties, so questions about the work and oversight involved can matter to public accountability.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Administrative leave with pay is standard federal employment procedure, and Phillips has not been formally convicted or disciplined. Everyone deserves due process under federal law. Whilst his previous claims about elections remain disputed, his interest in election integrity represents a legitimate government function. His continued employment should be evaluated on the actual duties assigned to him, not retroactive judgments about past statements.
The case against
Phillips has a documented history of promoting election fraud claims that have been thoroughly debunked, and he helped produce a widely discredited film advancing false allegations. Retaining him on the federal payroll whilst his actual work responsibilities remain unclear represents questionable stewardship of taxpayer funds. Government credibility demands transparency and accountability: continuing to pay someone for undefined work whilst he appears to return to election activism raises serious questions about whether federal resources are being properly deployed.