Trump Considers Major Changes to FEMA Amid Hurricane Recovery Tour

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President Donald Trump announced on Friday that he is contemplating an executive order to fundamentally reform or potentially eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during a tour of hurricane-ravaged areas in western North Carolina. Criticizing the agency's disaster response, Trump described FEMA as “not good” and “a disaster,” suggesting that the current system is ineffective in handling natural emergencies.

This announcement follows the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene in Buncombe County last September, which resulted in 42 fatalities and an estimated $50 billion in damages. During his visit, Trump met with affected families and received a briefing on ongoing recovery efforts.

In his remarks, Trump proposed shifting more disaster response responsibilities directly to state governors, favoring a model where federal funding is allocated straight to states instead of funneled through FEMA. With FEMA currently operating on an annual budget in the tens of billions of dollars and employing over 20,000 individuals, any significant changes to the agency would require congressional approval.

Following the North Carolina tour, Trump is expected to continue assessing disaster areas, with plans to visit wildfire-affected regions in Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles.

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