DHS: FEMA head's hurricane remarks were jokes
Washington — President Trump said Tuesday that his medication wants to "wean" states disconnected assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency aft this year's hurricane season.
The presidents's remarks came aft helium received a briefing from apical medication officials astir wildfire and exigency management. He claimed that FEMA has not been successful, and said governors are amended positioned to respond to earthy disasters similar hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.
"We privation to wean disconnected of FEMA and we privation to bring it down to the authorities level — a small spot similar education, we're moving it backmost to the states," Mr. Trump said.
The president said his program is for governors to enactment with 1 different and "give each different a hand."
"It has not worked retired well," helium said of FEMA, which was created successful 1979. "It's highly costly and, again, erstwhile you person a tornado oregon a hurricane oregon you person a occupation of immoderate kind, successful a state, that's what you person governors for. They're expected to hole those problems, and it's overmuch much section and they'll make a system, and it volition beryllium a large system."
President Trump delivers a connection connected earthy catastrophe preparedness successful the Oval Office astatine the White House connected June 10, 2025, successful Washington, D.C.
Getty Images
Mr. Trump has floated eliminating FEMA altogether oregon turning it into a "support agency" that provides supplemental national assistance to states. The president took enforcement enactment successful January to found a FEMA Review Council to analyse the agency's catastrophe capabilities and measure the adequacy of its catastrophe effect during erstwhile President Joe Biden's administration.
FEMA has been roiled by Mr. Trump's inaugural aimed astatine slashing the size of the national government. More than 200 probationary workers were fired from the bureau earlier this year, and the medication overhauled declaration renewals for much than two-thirds of FEMA's workforce.
The changes came conscionable earlier the commencement of hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30. The National Weather Service predicted this year volition spot an above-normal Atlantic hurricane play with betwixt 3 and 5 large storms, which are T slightest Category 3.
FEMA itself said successful an interior bureau presumption obtained by CBS News past period that its readiness process for hurricane play "has been derailed this twelvemonth owed to different activities similar staffing and contractors." The presumption besides said that arsenic the bureau "transforms to a smaller footprint, the intent for this hurricane play is not good understood, frankincense FEMA is not ready."
An authoritative astatine the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees FEMA, said the bureau is "fully activated successful mentation for Hurricane Season."
But earlier this month, acting FEMA head David Richardson said during a regular briefing that helium had not been aware that the U.S. has a hurricane season, 3 sources acquainted with the gathering told CBS News.
Richardson's remark near FEMA employees confused, and it was not wide whether helium made the remark arsenic a joke, CBS News reported past week.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security suggested the remark was made successful jest.
"Despite meanspirited attempts to falsely framework a gag arsenic policy, determination is nary uncertainty astir what FEMA volition beryllium doing this Hurricane Season. FEMA is laser focused connected catastrophe response, and protecting the American people," the spokesperson said.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Tuesday successful the Oval Office that FEMA is acceptable for hurricane season, but added that she is preparing governors to spot national engagement constricted erstwhile responding to aboriginal disasters.
"While we are moving this hurricane season, making definite that we person pre-staged and worked with the regions that are traditionally deed successful these areas, we're besides gathering connection and mutual-aid agreements among states to respond to each different truthful that they tin basal connected their ain 2 feet, with the national authorities coming successful in catastrophic circumstances with funding," she said.
Noem reiterated that Mr. Trump has said helium wants to spot FEMA successful its existent signifier "eliminated" and is moving to spot that through.
"This bureau fundamentally needs to spell distant arsenic it exists, and we request to person a effect to states that supports them erstwhile unspeakable things travel and erstwhile the worst time of their lives happens, to wherever the fiscal resources are determination but they person decision-making powerfulness close determination successful the states to respond," she said.
Melissa Quinn is simply a authorities newsman for CBSNews.com. She has written for outlets including the Washington Examiner, Daily Signal and Alexandria Times. Melissa covers U.S. politics, with a absorption connected the Supreme Court and national courts.
English (US) ·