180+ FEMA Employees Warn Trump Cuts Weaken Disaster Response

Over 180 current and former FEMA employees have issued a public letter warning that recent leadership and policy changes under President Trump are severely weakening the agency's disaster response capabilities, potentially leading to a catastrophe comparable to Hurricane Katrina. The letter criticizes the Trump administration for significant staffing cuts, political interference, censorship of climate science, and the appointment of unqualified leaders without Senate confirmation, which have led to the loss of experienced personnel and erosion of FEMA's operational capacity. The signatories urge Congress to take action by elevating FEMA to a cabinet-level independent agency, enforcing merit-based hiring, protecting employees from politically motivated dismissals, and demanding transparency about future cuts. This warning comes on the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, highlighting concerns that current management could undo reforms made after the 2005 disaster. The letter was addressed to the FEMA Review Council and various Congressional committees, with many signatories choosing anonymity due to a culture of fear within the agency. These developments underscore fears that diminished FEMA preparedness could hamper effective disaster response in the future.