• Trump’s budget cuts to weather agencies are weakening hurricane forecasts and putting public safety at risk.
• A top Florida meteorologist warns that fewer staff and grounded planes make accurate storm tracking nearly impossible.
• Trump’s FEMA leader shocked officials by admitting he didn’t know hurricane season exists, raising serious concerns.

Donald Trump’s latest budget decisions are putting American lives at risk. His administration slashed funding to two key weather agencies — the National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These agencies track hurricanes, issue warnings, and help people prepare for storms. But Trump’s team doesn’t seem to care. They cut jobs, defunded programs, and weakened the system just as hurricane season begins. A Florida meteorologist is sounding the alarm before it’s too late.

Florida Meteorologist Warns About Forecast Failures

John Morales, a hurricane expert at NBC 6 in Miami, says the forecast system is falling apart. He told viewers on Tuesday that Trump’s cuts have created a major problem. Morales has worked in South Florida for over 30 years. He usually gives calm, confident updates before big storms. Now, he says he might not be able to do that this year. The reason is simple. The Trump administration stripped away the tools forecasters use to track dangerous storms.

Trump’s Cuts Started With Elon Musk’s Government Department

Elon Musk runs Trump’s “Department of Government Efficiency.” That agency ordered the budget cuts. It removed hundreds of forecasters in February. Then, it put others on probation. A second wave of cuts in April eliminated more than 1,000 jobs. Many forecast offices now have empty desks and delayed warnings. Some are running with 20% fewer workers. Trump and Musk treated these agencies like wasteful programs. But they’re not wasteful. They’re vital to public safety.

Forecast Quality Keeps Getting Worse Every Month

Morales explained that fewer staff means slower warnings and less accurate predictions. He said the public should worry. The quality of hurricane forecasts is going down. It’s harder to predict how strong a storm is. It’s harder to say where it will go. Morales warned that this is a direct result of Trump’s policies. He told viewers to call their elected officials and demand change. Trump may be gone from the White House, but his actions still affect millions.

Hurricane Planes May Be Grounded Because of Trump’s Cuts

Another big concern is the possible grounding of hurricane hunter aircraft. These planes fly into storms and collect important data. They help scientists measure wind speed, storm pressure, and direction. Without them, experts could be flying blind. Morales fears that fewer missions could mean less warning time for cities in danger. He blames Trump’s cuts for this disaster-in-waiting.

Trump’s FEMA Pick Doesn’t Know Hurricane Season Exists

Trump’s appointment to lead FEMA, David Richardson, made headlines recently. He told staff he didn’t know the United States had a hurricane season. That’s not a joke. Four people who were at the meeting confirmed it. FEMA, the agency in charge of disaster response, now has a leader who doesn’t understand basic facts. Trump put him there. That decision tells Americans everything they need to know about how seriously Trump takes public safety.

FEMA Defends the Shocking Statement as a “Joke”

After the backlash, a spokesperson from Kristi Noem’s Department of Homeland Security stepped in. They claimed Richardson was just joking. But many people aren’t laughing. FEMA’s new plan, according to the same spokesperson, is to cut down on D.C. spending and give more control to the states. But critics say that’s just code for doing less and spending less. Trump’s FEMA doesn’t seem ready for the next big storm.

Trump’s Cuts Come After a Deadly Hurricane Year

In 2024, four big hurricanes killed at least 370 people in the U.S. The deadliest storm, Hurricane Helene, killed 241. It struck Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and the Carolinas. Another storm, Hurricane Milton, followed soon after. It was expected to be even worse, but Florida still lost 44 lives. Hurricane Beryl killed 40 in Texas. Hurricane Debby took nine more lives in South Carolina and Florida. All of these storms showed how important accurate forecasting really is. Trump’s budget cuts ignore that reality.

More Hurricanes Are on the Way This Year

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says this year could be even worse. The agency expects up to 10 hurricanes in the Atlantic alone. That means millions of Americans will need early warnings and reliable forecasts. But with fewer scientists, fewer planes, and less funding, those warnings might come too late. Trump’s decisions created that risk.