FEMA Public Affairs Director Jaclyn Rothenberg locked her X account Saturday amid widespread outrage over the agency’s disastrous hurricane response in affected states.
How ironic, given Rothenberg is the agency’s “seasoned on-the-record spokesperson” whose only task is media relations and crisis communications.
🚨🇺🇸 The Director of FEMA Locked her account during the Worst National Emergency ever. @jaclynroth
— Concerned Citizen (@BGatesIsaPyscho) October 5, 2024
Should tell you all you need to know. pic.twitter.com/6TgnUbffGF
FEMA’s website explains Rothenberg’s role in the agency:
Jaclyn is an appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration and was sworn in as the Director of Public Affairs at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in July 2021. Jaclyn is a public affairs, media relations, crisis communications strategist and seasoned on-the-record spokesperson. She has advised C-suite executives, high-profile elected officials, and political leaders operating on national and local stages. With nearly 15 years of experience, she understands the varying perspectives media, state, local and congressional leaders have on key issues and approaches her work with anticipation of how each stakeholder will react.
However, Rothenberg’s official government account remains open.
Rothenberg’s move comes as the agency faces heavy criticism for its delayed response to the devastation left by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia, and Florida, with over 220 dead, hundreds missing, and millions of people still left without power over a week after the storm ripped through the South.
FEMA has not only been slow to respond, but according to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, the agency doesn’t even have the funding to adequately address the crisis.
His admission is even more shocking given just several months ago he assured the public that FEMA was “tremendously prepared” for the hurricane season.
To add insult to injury, FEMA has reportedly allocated its funding to house illegal migrants across the country, which even White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre admitted at one point.
Additionally, reports emerged that FEMA has even been actively blocking private volunteers bringing food, water and supplies and SpaceX employees trying to provide Starlink terminals to areas without working internet service, which prompted Elon Musk himself to publicly blast the agency.
FEMA is now facing such a deep public relations crisis that it has even established a “rumor control” panel to push back against the reports of its mismanagement and funding of migrant housing — an initiative outlined on its own website.
There has been a lot of rumors spreading about the #Helene response.
— FEMA (@fema) October 3, 2024
Rumors can create confusion & prevent people from getting assistance they need. Help us share accurate information: https://t.co/Z5vxuBTths pic.twitter.com/U3DCtmC1LN
Meanwhile, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) called for FEMA Director Deanne Criswell to resign before calling on her to appear before Congress for questioning over the agency’s terrible response to the hurricane aftermath.
FEMA’s corruption and ineptitude is so evident that now its own public relations chief closed her account to the public.