By The Associated Press’s Chris Megerian
WASHINGTON—The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has been at the forefront of responding to the hurricane in North Carolina last year and the recent wildfires in California, is getting ready to undergo a transformation under President Donald Trump.
According to a person involved with the call who asked to remain anonymous, he discussed the matter extensively with House Republican leaders on Tuesday, asking if the agency known as FEMA should continue to help states in the same manner.
In the past, conservatives have proposed cutting back on the amount of money governments receive for averting and addressing natural catastrophes such as hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and more.
In an interview with Sean Hannity of Fox News this week, Trump criticized the agency, claiming that FEMA has been doing nothing for the past four years and that it is interfering with everything.
For his first trip since taking office on Monday, the Republican president will travel to California, which is now experiencing some of the most devastating fires in its history, and North Carolina, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene in September, on Friday.
Republican criticism of FEMA, some of which was based on false information, has focused on North Carolina. Conservatives, for instance, asserted on social media that storm victims were only getting $750 in aid, despite the fact that they had experienced catastrophic losses. However, the payments were only intended to cover emergency costs until further aid could be provided.
Growing animosity raised fears that militia members may target FEMA employees.
In the Hannity interview, Trump also implied that he would not provide California any aid.
According to him, we shouldn’t give California anything until they allow water to enter their system.
The president has made erroneous claims that fire hydrants in Los Angeles ran dry during the fires because of California water restrictions, which include fish conservation initiatives in the northern part of the state.
Disaster-prone Louisiana native and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has proposed tying government assistance to California to certain conditions.
FILE: In Asheville, North Carolina, debris is seen from Hurricane Helene on September 30, 2024. (Photo courtesy of Mike Stewart, File)AP
Putting restrictions on disaster assistance is risky, according to Michael Coen, who was FEMA’s chief of staff during the Biden administration.
“You’re going to choose winners and losers based on which communities will receive federal support,” he added. I believe that regardless of where they live, Americans expect the federal government to support them in their hour of need.
Just last year, following back-to-back hurricanes Helene and Milton, Congress passed a large year-end appropriations measure into law that included a $100 billion replenishment of the federal disaster aid fund.
However, it is anticipated that the damages from the California fires will rank among the most costly natural disasters in the history of the country.
Trump appointed former Navy SEAL and failed Virginia Republican congressional candidate Cameron Hamilton as the agency’s acting administrator. Hamilton has little expertise dealing with natural catastrophes, but he has worked on emergency management issues for the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State in the past.
He has been vocal about bolstering security along the southern border, where FEMA’s resources may be reallocated, and has been critical of the agency on social media.
The president’s allies created Project 2025, a conservative plan for Trump’s second term, which had bold ideas for FEMA.
The idea advocated for moving FEMA to either the Department of Transportation or the Department of Interior and eliminating DHS.
It also recommended shifting the expense of disaster prevention and response to states and altering the methodology the agency uses to decide when federal disaster assistance is appropriate.
For lesser disasters, the government reimbursement rate would be fixed at 25% of costs, while for larger disasters, it would be restricted at 75%.
Currently, presidents have the authority to approve 100% reimbursement for some costs, as Biden did for some of the costs associated with Hurricane Helene and the fires in California.
According to AP VoteCast, around 60% of voters in the November election agreed with FEMA’s performance. Approximately 4 out of 10 people disapproved, although Trump’s supporters were more likely to do so. Of them, two-thirds expressed dissatisfaction with FEMA’s performance.
Reporting was done by Lisa Mascaro, Zeke Miller, and Linley Sanders of the Associated Press.
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