FEMA worker claims skipping Trump homes was not isolated and targeted 'politically hostile' areas

Marn'i Washington, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supervisor, accused of instructing staff to skip over hurricane-affected homes displaying Trump campaign signs claims this was not an "isolated" incident and asserts she has been made a scapegoat.

Marn'i Washington, who was dismissed last week over the matter, spoke out in an interview with YouTube podcaster Roland Martin on Monday, explaining she had merely followed a common FEMA policy to avoid "politically hostile" residences.

“FEMA preaches avoidance first, and then de-escalation. This is not isolated. This is a colossal event of avoidance,” said Washington, 39.

“Not just in the state of Florida. You will find avoidance in the Carolinas.”

A FEMA official corroborated Washington's statements, telling The Post that the agency’s practice of skipping Trump-supporting homes—or steering clear of “white or conservative-dominated” disaster areas—has been an open secret within the agency for years.

Republican lawmakers from states affected by the recent storms have pledged to act swiftly, aiming to investigate whether the agency neglected its duties for political reasons, with multiple investigations planned.

Washington accused FEMA of dishonesty after the federal agency claimed she lacked the authority to direct relief workers to bypass homes in Lake Placid, Florida, following last month’s Hurricane Milton.

According to an anonymous FEMA official, Washington likely received “very clear guidance” from higher-ups.

“I have heard from other entities who are serving in North Carolina that there was clear guidance saying to be ‘mindful’ of the types of people who are in Western North Carolina — they’re largely Republican, very conservative — very derogatory sorts of references in their culture,” the employee told The Post.

FEMA staff reportedly faced threats after Hurricanes Helene and Milton, partly due to misinformation, and a sheriff in Tennessee noted that an armed group had threatened aid workers. However, the official added that FEMA employees are trained to handle threats during disasters, suggesting that the agency’s real motive in avoiding certain areas in need was “equity.” The source even remarked that “it’s not crazy” to suggest the agency instructed personnel to exclude white communities.

The official noted that the situation was particularly disheartening, as aiding disaster-stricken areas is more of a calling than a mere job for most FEMA staff.