President Donald Trump has been tearing down the Federal Emergency Administration Company little by little since stepping again into workplace. And whereas Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem informed catastrophe survivors that she needs to strengthen this system, the Trump administration’s actions say in any other case.
In February, Noem toured a catastrophe zone in North Carolina—which continues to be recovering from Hurricane Helene that hit in September 2024—and promised survivors that she, alongside FEMA, would assist rebuild and pace up the help course of for future disasters.
“FEMA can often be slow and confusing and a lot of paperwork. I heard that over and over and over again today. And we’re going to fix that. I’ll promise you one thing. President Trump has committed, and I’m committed with him to bringing FEMA into the 21st century,” she mentioned.
A flooded space is seen in Asheville, North Carolina, following Hurricane Helene in September 2024.
“People are hearing promises, especially about FEMA buyouts, while we’re still waiting for money from 2021,” Canton Mayor Zeb Smathers mentioned. “Our people deserve better than promises and timelines. It’s exceptionally stressful for our businesses, our homeowners, our governments, and our farmers.”
However Noem, like Trump, has an extended historical past of focusing on FEMA.
Whereas Noem made elaborate guarantees to unhoused folks attempting to rebuild their lives, she was telling her colleagues behind the scenes that her plans had been to “eliminate” FEMA altogether.
Throughout a personal assembly on March 25, Noem mentioned that she needs to eradicate FEMA’s position in long-term rebuilding efforts and halt multibillion-dollar grants, placing the facility into states’ palms. However consultants say that states merely don’t have the extent of preparedness to deal with such disasters.
On the brilliant facet, U.S. District Courtroom Choose John McConnell, who was appointed by President Barack Obama, ordered the Trump administration final week to start paying out frozen FEMA grants to 22 Democratic states and Washington D.C.
Hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in catastrophe aid was withheld from these Democratic areas, which Trump made clear was his purpose all alongside.
However with purple states like North Carolina nonetheless awaiting their FEMA funding, it’s clear that Trump and Noem’s assaults towards the group are helpful to nobody.
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