Trump Criticizes FEMA During North Carolina Visit, Promises Major Changes
During a visit to North Carolina, President Donald Trump pledged to overhaul the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as residents continue recovering from the devastation left by Hurricane Helene, which struck the state more than 120 days ago.
“I’ll also be signing an executive order to begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA, or maybe getting rid of FEMA,” Trump stated to reporters on Friday morning. “I think, frankly, FEMA is not good.”
He also reassured North Carolina that his administration would take swift action to assist in repairs, vowing to “do a good job” in helping the state recover from the extensive damage.
“We’re going to fix it, and we’re going to fix it as fast as you can,” Trump said. “It’s a massive amount of damage. FEMA has really let us down. Let the country down. And I don’t know if that’s Biden’s fault or whose fault it is, but we’re going to take over. We’re going to do a good job.”
Trump suggested that individual states should play a larger role in handling disaster response, asserting that local authorities are in a better position to oversee and manage relief operations. He also pledged to work alongside three lawmakers representing areas affected by the hurricane, criticizing FEMA’s response as “not on the ball” in assisting North Carolina’s recovery.
“So we’re going to be doing something on FEMA that I think most people agree [with],” Trump remarked. “I’d like to see the states take care of disasters, let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen. And I think you’re going to find it a lot less expensive. You’ll do it for less than half, and you’re going to get a lot quicker response.”
According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, only half of the debris from Hurricane Helene has been cleared. Meanwhile, thousands of displaced North Carolinians remain in hotels, with FEMA covering their stay through its Transitional Housing Assistance program, as reported by Fox News.
As the late-January deadline approached for families to leave their temporary housing, FEMA announced an extension of the program until May 26. Over 3,000 families now qualify for continued assistance.
“It’s been a horrible thing the way that’s been allowed to fester, and we’re going to get it fixed up,” Trump told reporters at the White House before traveling to North Carolina. “It should have been done months ago from the hurricane that took place almost four months ago. North Carolina’s been treated very badly so we’re stopping there.”
In an exclusive interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Wednesday, Trump criticized Democratic leaders, saying that “Democrats don’t care about North Carolina,” and reaffirmed that his visit was a priority for his second term in office.
During his trip, several residents shared their struggles and what Trump’s visit meant to them.
“It’s been hell,” said Michelle, a Swannanoa resident who preferred to be identified only by her first name, speaking to Fox News.
Michelle currently resides in a temporary camper park along a main road in Swannanoa, where she and several other displaced residents—whose homes were destroyed by the hurricane—are living in campers and tents provided by charitable organizations.
She explained that many locals not only lost their homes but also their jobs due to the storm.
Emily Russell, who was seven months pregnant when the hurricane struck, recounted how floodwaters reached chest level in her home near the river, leaving her and her dog stranded on a floating mattress while waiting for rescue, according to Fox News.
“Of course, I applied for FEMA [aid] and different government assistance, but none of that really came through to help in any way,” Russell said. She and other locals expressed gratitude for Trump’s visit.
“The fact that he has come back, especially to Swannanoa … little nowhere town, and he’s here … it just makes you feel hopeful that we are going to start getting some help and see a big change,” Russell said. “We’re glad he’s here. We’re hopeful. I just really think that he’s the one that can make the big difference, and we’re just excited. This little town has needed a little bit of help, so that’s really cool.”