In a recent executive order, President Trump mandated a thorough review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), advocating for structural changes within 180 days. His criticism of FEMA has intensified after natural disasters, attributing its inefficiency to political bias in disaster aid distribution. Current FEMA staff expressed anxiety over potential changes, recalling traumatic experiences from past disasters, particularly in Puerto Rico. Established in 1979, FEMA administers disaster responses contingent upon local requests and Congressional approval, currently managing responses for 192 disaster declarations with a budget nearing $30 billion for 2023.
FEMA has turned out to be a disaster,” Trump said in North Carolina on Friday while on a multistate tour to areas still recovering from the effects of last year’s Hurricane Helene and the ongoing wildfires near Los Angeles. “I think we recommend that FEMA go away.
We all got PTSD here in Puerto Rico the first time around. [We're] just praying we don’t get so much as a bad rain in the next four years,” says Denise, a FEMA employee who requested to be identified only by her middle name.
FEMA was established in 1979 in its current form, but traces its roots back to 1803 with congressional authorization of aid to the city of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, following a severe fire that threatened the national economy.
Trump's moves to limit FEMA's scope appear to be rooted in political retribution. His executive order alleges FEMA staff have selectively administered hurricane aid based on political affiliation—a false rumor that the president himself helped spread.
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