Trump Reviews FEMA Operations After Disaster Response Concerns
President Donald Trump put the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under review on Sunday after signing an executive order aimed at "drastically" improving the agency's efficacy, priorities and competence.
Trump's executive order establishes the FEMA Review Council, which will be composed of no more than 20 members and co-chaired by the secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense.
The council is being formed after FEMA's response to Hurricane Helene and other recent disasters showed the need to improve "efficacy, priorities, and competence, including evaluating whether FEMA's bureaucracy in disaster response" hinders its ability to respond successfully.
"Despite obligating nearly $30 billion in disaster aid each of the past three years, FEMA has managed to leave vulnerable Americans without the resources or support they need when they need it most," the executive order reads. "There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA. Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President."
Trump also said FEMA has lost mission focus, diverting limited resources and staff to support missions outside its scope and authority. The president particularly highlighted that FEMA has spent over a billion dollars welcoming illegal immigrants.
"Americans deserve an immediate, effective, and impartial response to and recovery from disasters," the order continued. "FEMA therefore requires a full-scale review, by individuals highly experienced at effective disaster response and recovery, who shall recommend to the President improvements or structural changes to promote the national interest and enable national resilience."
Trump announced Friday that he plans to overhaul FEMA as North Carolina is still recovering from Hurricane Helene more than 120 days after the storm devastated the state.
"I'll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA, or maybe getting rid of FEMA," Trump told reporters in North Carolina on Friday morning. "I think, frankly, FEMA is not good."
Trump promised his administration would step in and assist North Carolina to fix the damage quickly, vowing to "do a good job" for the state.
The president also said he would like to see the states assume more responsibility when disaster strikes, arguing those familiar with the state are better equipped to provide disaster response and relief.
So far, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers claim that only half of the debris recovery from Hurricane Helene is complete. Additionally, thousands of families in North Carolina remain in hotels that FEMA is footing the bill for through its Transitional Housing Assistance program.
