worFEMA reliefBombshell report confirms FEMA workers who skipped Trump supporters’ homes after Hurricane Milton broke the law: Watchdog finds crews avoid homes with MAGA flags
A Department of Homeland Security watchdog report has confirmed that FEMA relief workers unlawfully skipped homes displaying Trump campaign signage while responding to Hurricane Milton in Florida in October 2024. The Office of Inspector General found the crews' actions breached both federal law and agency policy, substantiating claims first made by a whistleblower shortly after the 2024 presidential election and exposing significant lapses in oversight at the disaster relief agency.
The inspector general identified 11 confirmed instances in which workers bypassed properties for improper reasons, with one record stating a home was skipped "due to Trump flag" — though officials believe the true figure is likely higher, as most entries left no explanation. Sources say the conduct violated both FEMA policy and the Hatch Act, which restricts political activity by federal employees. The scandal first surfaced when reports emerged of a supervisor, later identified as Marn'i Washington, instructing crews to avoid homes "advertising Trump" near Lake Placid, Florida; she and three colleagues were subsequently dismissed. While FEMA's internal review in March 2025 found no evidence of a systemic or leadership-directed policy, the new watchdog report criticised the agency for inadequate training, supervision and documentation of its response.
- Watchdog confirms FEMA crews broke law skipping Trump-flagged homes after Hurricane Milton
- At least 11 confirmed cases; true number likely higher
- Supervisor and three others were fired over the scandal
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FEMA is the US Federal Emergency Management Agency, the federal body responsible for coordinating disaster relief after events like hurricanes. In October 2024, Hurricane Milton struck Florida, and FEMA crews were sent door to door to help affected residents. Complaints later emerged that some workers deliberately skipped homes displaying support for Donald Trump, who was then a presidential candidate.
The claims first came from a whistleblower shortly after the November 2024 election, centring on a FEMA supervisor named Marn'i Washington, who was accused of telling staff to avoid properties "advertising Trump" in the Lake Placid area. She and three colleagues lost their jobs over the incident. Because FEMA is a government agency, US law restricts its employees from letting political views influence how public services are delivered.
This matters because it raises questions about whether disaster aid, which is meant to be distributed fairly regardless of politics, was withheld from some residents because of their political views. The Department of Homeland Security's independent watchdog, the Office of Inspector General, was tasked with investigating the claims, separately from an earlier internal FEMA review that had found no evidence of a wider, agency-directed policy.