Home » FEMA Is a Disaster. Trump Is Right To Demand Changes.

FEMA Is a Disaster. Trump Is Right To Demand Changes.

The agency is ineffective, duplicative, and expensive.

DuringarecentvisittoAsheville,NorthCarolina,PresidentDonaldTrumpfloatedtheideaoffundamentallyoverhaulingtheFederalEmergencyManagementAgency(FEMA).“Ifitwasuptome,”Trumpsaid,“I’dend[FEMA]rightnow,andI’djustletthestatetakecareoftheproblem.”HesubsequentlysignedanexecutiveordertoassessFEMA’sabilitytoprovide“immediate,effective,andimpartialresponsetoandrecoveryfromdisasters.” Thepresident’scommentsbroughtimmediatepushback.KentuckyDemocraticGov.AndyBeshearcalledtheeliminationofFEMAa“verybadidea.”Sen.BillCassidy(R–La.)stoppedshortofcondemningTrump’scomments,saying somefederaldisasteragencyisneeded,evenifthatagencyisn’tFEMA. ButTrumpisrightaboutthisone.Thesystemoffederaldisasterreliefdoesneedreform.FEMA’sfailuresarewell-documented,andtheyhavecomeatasteepcosttotaxpayers.Thoughtheagencyhasreceivednearly$30billioninannualappropriationsthepastthreeyears