The Associated Press reports:
President Donald Trump said he was considering “getting rid of FEMA” as he visited hurricane-battered North Carolina on Friday during the first trip of his second term. The comment, made during a briefing on the monthslong recovery from Hurricane Helene, was the latest signal of how Trump is planning sweeping changes to the federal government’s role in managing catastrophes.
“FEMA has been a very big disappointment,” the Republican president said. “It’s very bureaucratic. And it’s very slow. Other than that, we’re very happy with them.” Trump, who also planned to visit wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles later in the day, said he was looking at signing an executive order on FEMA. “I’d like to see the states take care of disasters,” he said after landing in the Asheville area.
Read the full article.
At this writing fact-checker Daniel Dale is on CNN listing the many lies Trump told about FEMA in Asheville, where he repeated his lies that FEMA “blew all its money” on migrants and that its funds are now “totally wiped out.” In fact, Trump came into office with FEMA holding billions in preparation for upcoming disasters.
Trump: “We’re looking at the whole concept of FEMA. I like, frankly, the concept when North Carolina gets hit, the governor takes care of it. When Florida gets hit, the governor takes care of it. Meaning the state takes care of it … I’d like to see the states take care of… pic.twitter.com/LGeK6Bw5b1
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) January 24, 2025