WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is taking steps to modify the operations of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), an agency that has been instrumental in addressing recent wildfires in California and the aftermath of last year’s Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.
On Tuesday, he engaged in extensive discussions with Republican leaders in Congress regarding the future of FEMA and whether it should maintain its current approach to assisting states during disasters, as revealed by a source privy to the conversation who requested anonymity.
Conservative voices have previously criticized the level of financial assistance provided to states for disaster mitigation and response, suggesting that reimbursements might be reduced.
During a recent interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News, Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with FEMA, stating, “FEMA has not done their job for the last four years” and that “FEMA is getting in the way of everything.”
The president is scheduled to visit North Carolina and California on Friday, marking his first trip to disaster-affected areas since taking office on Monday. North Carolina has been a point of contention for Republican critiques targeting FEMA, much of which is based on misinformation.
For instance, it has been incorrectly claimed on social media that victims of the hurricane were receiving mere $750 in aid despite suffering extensive losses. In reality, these payments were intended as temporary relief for immediate expenses until more comprehensive assistance could be made available.
Due to escalating tensions, there have been worries that FEMA employees might become targets of militia groups. Additionally, Trump proposed in his interview that federal assistance to California could be withheld.
“I don’t think we should give California anything until they let water flow down into their system,” he remarked. The president has inaccurately claimed that California’s water policies, which are designed for fish conservation, resulted in fire hydrants running dry in Los Angeles during the wildfires.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican from Louisiana—a state often affected by disasters—has suggested that federal aid to California should be contingent upon specific conditions.
Michael Coen, who most recently served as FEMA’s chief of staff under the Biden administration, warned that imposing conditions on disaster relief is “dangerous.”
He argued, “You’re going to pick winners and losers on which communities are going to be supported by the federal government. I think the American people expect the federal government will be there for them on their worst day, no matter where they live.”
Last year, Congress allocated an additional $100 billion to the federal disaster aid fund through a significant appropriations bill signed by President Joe Biden, mainly in response to the consecutive disasters caused by Hurricanes Helene and Milton.
However, the devastation from the fires in California is projected to be one of the most costly natural disasters in U.S. history.
In a move reflecting his administration’s ongoing agenda, Trump appointed Cameron Hamilton—a former Navy SEAL and Republican congressional candidate from Virginia—as FEMA’s interim administrator.
Despite his past experience working on emergency management issues within the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State, Hamilton has limited direct experience with natural disaster response.
He has also been critical of FEMA on social media while advocating for stricter security measures along the southern border, which could necessitate redirecting FEMA’s resources.
As part of Project 2025—a conservative framework for Trump’s potential second term—dramatic restructuring of FEMA is suggested. The proposals include dismantling the Department of Homeland Security and relocating FEMA to either the Department of Interior or the Department of Transportation.
The project also recommends revising the criteria FEMA uses to determine eligibility for federal disaster assistance, thereby transferring some financial responsibility for disaster prevention and response to the states.
The federal reimbursement rates for smaller disasters would be lowered to 25%, while aid for larger events would be capped at 75%.
Currently, presidents have the authority to approve reimbursements covering up to 100% of specific expenses, as President Biden did for certain costs related to Hurricane Helene and the California wildfires.
According to recent polling, 60% of voters expressed approval for FEMA’s performance in handling disaster situations, while around 40% disapproved, a figure that rose among Trump’s voter base, with two-thirds indicating dissatisfaction with FEMA’s operations.
