US President Donald Trump has suggested possibly overhauling—or even dismantling—the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), a federal body responsible for coordinating disaster relief across the United States.
His remarks came during a briefing in Asheville, North Carolina, which recently experienced severe flooding after Hurricane Helene.
🚨BREAKING: Trump just announced an executive order to REFORM or ELIMINATE FEMA: “I’ll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming or maybe getting rid of FEMA. I think, frankly, FEMA is not good.“
FEMA under scrutiny
Trump expressed dissatisfaction with FEMA’s handling of disaster responses, stating, “We’re going to recommend that FEMA go away.”
He criticized the agency’s approach, arguing that disaster management would be more effective if handled by individual states.
“I like, frankly, the concept [that] when North Carolina gets hit, the governor takes care of it. When Florida gets hit, the governor takes care of it, meaning the state takes care of it,” Trump said.
He also noted that deploying federal teams unfamiliar with local conditions often led to inefficiencies.
Trump proposed that federal disaster aid could be distributed directly to states without FEMA’s involvement.
“So rather than going through FEMA, it will go through us,” he added.
Donald Trump says he wants the states to handle their own natural disasters instead of FEMA. So taxpayers in blue states won’t have to bail out Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Georgia, etc. right?
Alignment with conservative policy
Trump’s remarks align with elements of Project 2025, a conservative policy proposal advocating for reforms to FEMA.
The blueprint suggests shifting the financial burden of disaster preparedness and response from the federal government to state and local authorities.
Proponents argue this approach would encourage states to take greater responsibility for disaster management.
Trump’s critique of FEMA also appears to reflect his broader dissatisfaction with federal disaster management, a point of contention during his presidency.
He notably criticized the response to Hurricane Helene and accused then-President Joe Biden of mishandling federal relief efforts.
Trump’s comments have sparked debate about the role of FEMA in disaster response.
Supporters of his proposal argue that states are better equipped to address local emergencies.
At the same time, critics warn that dismantling or significantly reducing FEMA’s role could weaken the nation’s ability to manage large-scale disasters effectively.
What’s next for FEMA?
The possibility of dismantling FEMA raises significant questions about how disaster relief would be coordinated.
While Trump’s comments signal his interest in restructuring the agency, any changes would require substantial legislative and administrative action, as well as buy-in from state governments.
For now, FEMA remains a critical player in managing disaster response nationwide, but Trump’s remarks suggest that its role could face renewed scrutiny in future political debates.
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