Trump Reforms FEMA to Boost State Disaster Role

President Trump has shifted from wanting to eliminate FEMA to pursuing reforms aimed at making the agency more supportive of state-led disaster responses. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has stated that FEMA should be 'remade' to better deploy resources and back states, as demonstrated in the recent Texas flood response where state leaders took the lead and received federal funding as needed. The changes have sparked concern among some officials and FEMA insiders, who report slower and less coordinated disaster responses, including thousands of unanswered calls for help in Texas due to contract delays. Pennsylvania’s emergency management director and others have criticized proposed FEMA policy changes, such as raising disaster aid thresholds, warning these could severely hinder recovery efforts. The administration asserts that the Texas response model represents FEMA’s future direction, though no official move to dismantle FEMA has been made. Critics remain skeptical about whether the reforms improve efficiency or reduce the federal role in major disasters.