The President of the United States, Donald Trump, has criticized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), threatening to dismantle the organization completely.
During a visit to North Carolina, which has been heavily affected by hurricanes, Trump declared that he would sign an executive order to “reform and overhaul FEMA, or even eliminate it.”
Instead of relying on FEMA, the President suggested that states should take on the responsibility of disaster management.
Trump stated, “When there’s an issue within a state, I believe that the state should handle it. That’s the purpose of having states, they can quickly address problems, right?”
Despite being pressed by reporters, Trump did not provide a clear timeline for the changes he proposed for FEMA during the news conference on Friday.
These criticisms of FEMA are part of a pattern of attacks on the agency and his predecessor, former Democratic President Joe Biden, following Hurricane Helene.
On September 26, Hurricane Helene, a powerful Category-4 storm, made landfall in the Big Bend region of Florida. The hurricane then moved north, causing devastation in Georgia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.
Over 200 individuals lost their lives due to the hurricane’s record-breaking rainfall, flooding, and tornadoes, with places like Asheville, North Carolina being severely damaged.
North Carolina played a crucial role in Trump’s victory in the 2024 election.
After the disaster, Trump falsely claimed that federal relief workers under Biden’s leadership had refused to assist Republican residents.
FEMA later reported threats made against its staff, hindering relief efforts in western North Carolina. Biden condemned the misinformation spread by Trump as “un-American.”
Despite this, Trump continued to criticize FEMA and Biden for the slow recovery process in North Carolina.
At one point, Trump expressed disappointment in FEMA for being bureaucratic and slow, costing a significant amount of money.
He also blamed Biden for the poor conditions in North Carolina, where residents lacked basic necessities like hot water and drinking water.
Before heading to southern California to address wildfires, Trump mentioned his plans to impose conditions on disaster aid, including requiring California to implement voter identification laws.
Although Trump argued that voter identification laws are necessary to prevent voter fraud, critics believe these measures can prevent eligible voters from voting if they cannot afford or access ID cards.
During Trump’s visit to western North Carolina, a small group of protestors rallied against his repeal of climate change policies, pointing out the connection between the climate crisis and extreme weather events like hurricanes and wildfires.
