President Donald Trump announced plans to reform the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during a visit to North Carolina as many residents there continue recovering from Hurricane Helene, which struck the state over 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 told reporters Friday morning during his visit. “I think, frankly, FEMA is not good.”
Trump also pledged that his administration would provide assistance to North Carolina to help repair the damage swiftly, assuring the state that he would “do a good job” in the recovery efforts.
“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 also expressed a desire to see states take on more responsibility when disasters occur, arguing that local officials are better equipped to respond to and manage relief efforts. He promised to collaborate with three lawmakers from areas impacted by Hurricane Helene, criticizing FEMA for being “not on the ball” in aiding North Carolina’s recovery after the hurricane.
“So we’re going to be doing something on FEMA that I think most people agree [with],” Trump said. “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.”
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports that only half of the debris removal from Hurricane Helene has been completed. Meanwhile, thousands of families in North Carolina are still staying in hotels, with FEMA covering the costs through its Transitional Housing Assistance program, Fox News reported.
As a late January deadline approached for families to be removed from hotels, FEMA announced this week that it has extended the deadline to May 26. Over 3,000 families are eligible for the extension of the program.
“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 on Friday before flying 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 stated that “Democrats don’t care about North Carolina,” which is why he planned to visit the state for his first official trip as president during his second term.
Several residents spoke out during Trump’s visit about what they’ve been through and what his trip to the region means to them.
“It’s been hell,” Swannanoa resident Michelle, who wanted to be identified only by her first name, told Fox.
Michelle resides in a temporary camper park along a main road in Swannanoa, where she and around seven or eight other locals, whose homes were destroyed by the hurricane, are living in campers and tents provided by various charitable organizations.
She said that many locals lost jobs along with their homes and possessions to Helene.
Emily Russell was seven months pregnant when her home near the river flooded, with the water rising up to her chest. She and her dog were left stranded on a floating mattress, waiting for help as there was no other escape, Fox noted.
“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, adding she and other residents were grateful Trump made the trip.
“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.”