Payam Javan: President Donald Trump has unveiled plans to sign an executive order to significantly reform or possibly abolish the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Speaking in Asheville, North Carolina, an area recently devastated by Hurricane Helene, Trump criticized FEMA’s operations as inefficient and overly bureaucratic. He suggested redirecting federal disaster funds to state governments, advocating for states to take the lead in managing disaster response. The proposal aligns with longstanding conservative calls to reduce federal disaster response costs by shifting responsibilities to state-level authorities.

During a subsequent visit to wildfire-affected Los Angeles, Trump met with California Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass, pledging federal assistance for recovery efforts while stressing the importance of federal-state collaboration. While emphasizing the need for streamlined disaster management, Trump acknowledged that any changes to FEMA would require congressional approval, as the agency’s roles and funding are legislatively defined. Critics, however, warn that dismantling FEMA could weaken national disaster response capabilities, raising concerns about the potential impact on vulnerable communities.