President Donald Trump has put the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under review after signing an executive order to improve the agency’s efficacy, priorities, and competence.
Trump’s order establishes the FEMA Review Council, comprised of up to 20 members and co-chaired by the secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense.
The council is being formed following FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene and other recent disasters, highlighting the need to enhance “efficacy, priorities, and competence, including evaluating whether FEMA’s bureaucracy in disaster response hinders its successful response.
“Despite allocating nearly $30 billion in disaster aid each year, FEMA has failed to provide vulnerable Americans with the necessary resources or support in times of need,” the executive order states. “There are concerns of political bias within FEMA, with at least one former responder alleging that FEMA managers instructed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting Donald J. Trump for President.”
‘FEMA IS NOT GOOD:’ TRUMP ANNOUNCES AGENCY OVERHAUL DURING VISIT TO NORTH CAROLINA
A drone view shows a Walgreens in Asheville, North Carolina, damaged by Hurricane Helene on Sept. 29, 2024. (Reuters/Marco Bello)
Trump has criticized FEMA for losing mission focus, diverting resources to support missions beyond its scope, including spending over a billion dollars on activities involving illegal immigrants.
The executive order states that “Americans deserve an immediate, effective, and impartial response to and recovery from disasters,” emphasizing the need for a comprehensive review by disaster response experts to recommend improvements or changes to benefit national resilience.
TRUMP SAYS NEWSOM IS TO ‘BLAME’ FOR ‘APOCALYPTIC’ WILDFIRES
President Donald Trump has shared plans to overhaul FEMA after stating he thinks the agency is “not good.” (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Trump has announced plans to overhaul FEMA as North Carolina continues to recover from Hurricane Helene, stating that FEMA needs fundamental reform or potentially removal.
Trump expressed his dissatisfaction with FEMA during a visit to North Carolina, stating “I think, frankly, FEMA is not good.”
FAST-MOVING HUGHES FIRE ERUPTS IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY AS CALIFORNIA OFFICIALS ORDER EVACUATIONS
A van floats in floodwaters near the Biltmore Village in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene on Sept. 28, 2024, in Asheville, North Carolina. (Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Trump has pledged his administration’s support to help North Carolina swiftly repair the damage caused by Hurricane Helene, assuring to do a good job for the state.
The president also expressed a desire for states to take more responsibility during disasters, arguing that local knowledge equips them better for disaster response and relief efforts.
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The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports that only half of the debris recovery from Hurricane Helene is complete, with many families in North Carolina still housed in hotels funded by FEMA’s Transitional Housing Assistance program.
Fox News Digital’s Diana Stancy contributed to this report.
