President Donald Trump on Friday halted Democratic California Rep. Brad Sherman’s defense of using the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
The president has had harsh words for state and local leaders in California amid the deadly blazes. He recently suggested that any federal aid could come with strings.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has billions of dollars in disaster funds, which are used to reimburse states for eligible recovery efforts after major disasters, contrary to posts online saying FEMA has “no money” to respond to the wildfires in southern California.
Donald Trump, who has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s response to Hurricane Helene, which struck North Carolina in September 2024, said that he would like to see states assume more responsibility in the aftermath of natural disasters, rather than the federal government.
Trump signed an executive order giving FEMA more authority in overseeing the LA wildfire aid relief after threatening to overhaul the agency.
President Donald Trump said he's considering "getting rid of" FEMA as he hit the road for the first time since his second inauguration, visiting victims of Hurricane Helene and the California wildfires.
President Donald Trump toured disaster zones in North Carolina and California in his first official trip since retaking the White House. During the visits, Trump said he was considering dismantling FEMA and shifting disaster management responsibilities to the state.
President Donald Trump is heading to hurricane-battered western North Carolina and wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles
Rogers County Emergency Management director Scotty Stokes has seen a number of disasters strike the state and has worked closely with FEMA during disaster declarations.
House Speaker Mike Johnson is backing a variety of play calls President Trump made in his first week in office, including a decision to fire government watchdogs across most Cabinet-level departments.
President Trump recently floated the idea of getting rid of FEMA. It would take an act of Congress to make that happen.