President Donald Trump is making headlines again, this time for his plans to change how the United States handles major disasters. During a recent press conference, Trump announced that he plans to phase out the Federal Emergency Management Agency, better known as FEMA, after the 2025 hurricane season ends.
Trump says disaster response should be handled by state governments, not the federal government. He argued that governors should be the ones in charge of managing emergencies like hurricanes, wildfires, and earthquakes. “If a governor can’t handle a disaster, maybe they shouldn’t be governor,” Trump said.
Instead of FEMA, Trump wants disaster aid to come straight from the president’s office, possibly through the Department of Homeland Security. He also said federal aid would be reduced. This sparked major concern from emergency response experts across the country.
Many officials say most states are not equipped to handle large-scale disasters on their own. They worry that getting rid of FEMA could delay rescue efforts, reduce support for storm victims, and put lives at risk.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has since tried to clear things up, saying FEMA will not be fully eliminated, but rather restructured. Still, critics argue that weakening FEMA could have serious consequences during future disasters.