FEMA Barred From Using ‘Ice’ on Roadside Signs During Winter Storm by Trump Admin
Over the weekend, Americans faced a massive winter storm stretching more than 2,000 miles across the U.S. The system dumped more than a foot of snow in 17 northern states. In the South, drivers faced a different safety threat. Ice buildup reached a quarter-inch or more on roads.
FEMA coordinates federal storm preparation and response, which includes issuing public warnings. According to a report, the Trump administration restricted one key word. Officials reportedly told the agency not to use “ice,” out of concern it could spark memes referencing Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
An anonymous CNN source familiar with the matter said the Department of Homeland Security delivered the guidance to FEMA leaders behind closed doors on Thursday. DHS oversees both FEMA and ICE. The source said DHS warned, “If FEMA says, ‘Keep off the roads if you see ice,’ it would be easy for the public to meme it.”
The guidance directed FEMA to avoid phrases like “Watch out for ice.” Officials instead encouraged language such as “freezing rain.”
The source added, “I think it’s a dangerous precedent to set. If we can’t use clear language to help prepare Americans, then people may be left vulnerable and could suffer.”
FEMA mocks the report, but avoids saying ‘ice’
FEMA publicly addressed the anonymous claim by mocking the reporting as “desperate.” The agency said, “FEMA will use correct and accurate descriptors of weather conditions to communicate clearly to the American people.”
When FEMA issued its public warnings Thursday night, one word was conspicuously absent. The agency wrote on X, “Heavy snow, freezing rain & cold temps are expected across many states this weekend, which could cause damage and widespread power outages.” On Friday, it added, “A major winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow, freezing rain and dangerous cold across much of the U.S., creating risks for travel, power and safety.”
Meanwhile, the White House continued posting its own memes. The official X account shared a digitally altered image depicting arrests in Minneapolis. The caption read, “Enforcement of the law will continue. The memes will continue. Thank you for your attention to this matter.”
