President Donald Trump is reportedly considering “getting rid” of the Federal Emergency Management Agency so that federal emergency assistance flows directly to the states.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that he plans to sign an executive order to reform or eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), responsible for responding to natural disasters.
Trump made the announcement during a visit to areas of North Carolina affected by Hurricane Helene in September 2024, her first trip since returning to the White House.
There, the president accused FEMA of botching emergency relief efforts in North Carolina.
“FEMA has turned out to be a disaster,” he said during a tour of a destroyed neighborhood in Helene where there were downed trees and houses with boarded up windows. “I think we recommend that FEMA go away,” he added.
The agency provides emergency personnel, supplies and equipment to help areas begin to recover from natural disasters.
During a briefing on recovery efforts, Republican Trump promised to quickly help North Carolina “get the help it needs” to rebuild.
Instead of federal financial assistance flowing through FEMA, the president said Washington could provide money directly to states
“FEMA has been a huge disappointment,” Trump said. “It's very bureaucratic and very slow,” he said.
He added that Michael Whatley, a North Carolina native and chairman of the Republican National Committee, would help coordinate recovery efforts in the state, where frustrations over the federal response persist.
Beyond Trump's criticism of FEMA, he suggested limiting the federal government's role in disaster response, echoing comments from conservative allies who have proposed reducing funding and responsibility.
Democratic U.S. Rep. Deborah Ross of North Carolina, in a post on X on Friday, said FEMA has been a crucial partner.
“I appreciate President Trump's concern for Western North Carolina, but eliminating FEMA would be a disaster for our state,” he said.
Criticism of California fire response
Later on Friday, Trump was scheduled to visit Los Angeles while three massive fires still threaten that region.
The president sharply criticized Democratic officials' response to the wildfires in Los Angeles that have caused widespread destruction this month.
In an interview with Fox News On Wednesday, Trump threatened to withhold aid to California and claimed that the state's governor, Gavin Newsom, and other officials have refused to provide water from the northern part of the state to fight the fires.
Trump has accused Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who was out of the country when the fires broke out, of “gross incompetence,” pointing to what he called a lack of preparation and ineffective or harmful water management policies.
Water shortages caused some hydrants to run dry on the Pacific Palisades tributary, making early response difficult. When the fires broke out, one of the reservoirs that could have supplied more water to the area was empty for a year. Authorities have promised an investigation into why it was dry.
Mayor Bass and firefighters have said the hydrants were not designed to deal with such a massive disaster and have stressed the unprecedented nature of the fires.
Since the fires broke out on Jan. 7, 28 people have died and nearly 16,000 structures have been damaged, according to authorities.
Much of Southern California remains under a red flag warning for extreme fire risk due to strong dry winds.
(With information from The Associated Press and Reuters)