Overview
- The Department of Homeland Security said Phillips will support reforms aligned with directives from President Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem to clarify federal roles, tighten state coordination, and boost accountability.
- As associate administrator for Response and Recovery, Phillips will oversee disaster deployments and aid decisions that senior FEMA officials say carry life‑or‑death consequences for survivors.
- Phillips is a longtime conservative activist known for promoting unsubstantiated voter‑fraud claims through True the Vote, which faced a 2024 Fulton County order to produce evidence for its allegations.
- The position does not require Senate confirmation, and it follows leadership turbulence at FEMA after Acting Administrator David Richardson’s November resignation and Karen Evans’ move into the interim role.
- Phillips has publicly criticized FEMA’s performance and DEI initiatives, while the administration advances broad reform plans that include a forthcoming vote by the newly formed FEMA Review Council.