President Trump said on Tuesday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will gradually shut down most of its functions after the hurricane season ends, emphasizing that states should respond to disasters independently. Homeland Security Secretary Noam said that a committee will be established in the coming months to plan FEMA reforms, with the goal of holding state governments accountable more while reducing federal spending. Trump criticized the Biden administration for its previous ineffective disaster relief efforts and said that governors “should not have taken office” if they were unable to deal with disasters.
FEMA has begun to downsize, laying off 200 employees and offering voluntary severance programs, while freezing or canceling billions of dollars of state-funded projects. The institution currently has approximately 22,000 employees, but the reform might completely change its operation mode. This adjustment comes at a time when predictions indicate that this year’s Atlantic hurricane season will be exceptionally active, with at least 17 named storms expected, among which 4 May develop into highly destructive Category 3 or above hurricanes.
Since its establishment in 1979, FEMA has been a core federal disaster relief agency, responsible for coordinating disaster responses, providing financial assistance and long-term reconstruction support. This move by the Trump administration marks that the US emergency management system may face the most significant transformation in decades, but the specific implementation details remain to be announced. Experts warn that policy uncertainties during the hurricane season may affect the efficiency of disaster response.
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