January 25th 2025.
During a recent visit to Asheville, North Carolina, President Donald Trump expressed his disappointment with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). He stated that the agency has not been effective in responding to natural disasters, such as the recent Hurricane Helene that devastated the Tar Heel state. Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania, promised to take action and provide aid to the affected areas, but his tone quickly changed as he seemingly shifted the responsibility to the states and questioned the effectiveness of former President Joe Biden's administration.
Sitting beside local and state leaders, the President criticized FEMA for letting the country down and failing to properly handle the massive amount of damage caused by the hurricane. He even went as far as suggesting that FEMA should be eliminated and replaced with a different system. "I think when you have a problem like this, I think you want to use your state to fix it and not waste time calling FEMA. I think we're gonna recommend that FEMA go away," Trump stated, indicating his lack of faith in the agency.
Despite his initial promises to help, Trump seemed to backtrack and put the responsibility of handling disasters on the individual states. He stated that the states should be the ones taking care of tornadoes, hurricanes, and other natural disasters and that it would be more cost-effective and efficient for them to do so. This comes as a surprise, as FEMA was specifically designed to assist in such situations and has been a crucial resource for many communities in times of crisis.
Trump also mentioned his plans to sign an executive order to overhaul or possibly eliminate FEMA altogether. He claimed that the agency is not doing a good job and that it may be time for a change. However, it is worth noting that FEMA was created to respond to disasters declared by the President, and it is unclear how this new system would function.
The President's visit to Asheville was one of his first after taking office in January 2024. He is also scheduled to visit Los Angeles, where wildfires have been raging since early 2025. California Governor Gavin Newsom, a vocal critic of Trump, has been calling on the federal government for more assistance. Despite not receiving a response from the President, Newsom plans to greet him during his visit and ensure that he has all the necessary resources for a successful briefing.
As the recovery efforts continue in Asheville, it has been reported that only half of the debris from Hurricane Helene has been cleared, and many families are still displaced. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been providing transitional housing assistance to those affected, but there is still much work to be done. The situation in Asheville serves as a reminder that disasters can strike at any time, and it is essential to have a reliable and effective system in place to respond to them.
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