A former FEMA worker dismissed for advising her team to avoid homes displaying Donald Trump signs in the wake of recent disasters has broken her silence, saying her actions were about safety, not politics.
Marn’i Washington, who was recently terminated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), claims her comments were intended to ensure the safety of her disaster relief team members after reports emerged that they were being targeted by armed militia supporting Donald Trump.
Washington said that her text messages reflected a general FEMA practice of exercising caution when entering properties with potentially confrontational residents, regardless of political leanings.
According to Washington, the issue was not about political expression but about safety in areas where Trump signs could be indicators of hostility toward government workers.
“Once we start seeing a trend, if they just happen to have Trump signs out front and we also notice other hostile characteristics, we’re trained to proceed with caution,” she said. “FEMA always preaches avoidance first and then de-escalation. So, this isn’t just about one state – you’d see this in disaster zones across Florida and the Carolinas.”
FEMA response to messages
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell responded forcefully to the leaked messages, calling them “a clear violation of FEMA’s core values” and issuing a stern warning to employees. “This behavior contradicts everything we stand for at FEMA,” Criswell said on social media. “Our mission is to help all Americans in need, without exception. Actions that do not align with this mission will not be tolerated.”
Washington claims her supervisors were aware of her intentions and had previously acknowledged the importance of caution. Asked if management understood that her messages were not politically motivated but rather about safeguarding workers, Washington said: “Yes. FEMA officials understood this wasn’t about politics but the hostility some team members faced in the field.”
Donald Trump's FEMA criticism
Her dismissal follows a challenging time for FEMA, which has come under increased scrutiny from conspiracy theories and misinformation campaigns. Over recent months, President-Elect Donald Trump made several unsubstantiated claims, accusing FEMA of mishandling funds and withholding aid in favor of undocumented immigrants.
During a campaign event in Michigan, Trump alleged that federal funds intended for hurricane recovery had been “stolen” and distributed to illegal immigrants to gain support for the current administration. He also criticized FEMA's assistance levels, claiming that $750 was insufficient given the scale of recent hurricane devastation.
FEMA has since countered these claims, explaining that various types of assistance are available, and the $750 figure Trump cited represents only one component, called Serious Needs Assistance, for immediate basic needs.
With the holiday season approaching and the demand for FEMA assistance high after multiple destructive storms, the episode has sparked a conversation about the boundaries of personal expression and professional conduct in the federal workforce.
Clear, consistent guidelines are essential to balance employees' rights to express concerns about safety and the standards expected of public servants. The nature of emergency work demands that agencies like FEMA continue to prioritize worker safety and take appropriate steps to protect staff on the ground.