President Trump has signed an executive order that aims to overhaul, or even potentially abolish, the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The order, signed on Sunday, calls for the creation of a task force called the Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council, to review the agency and recommend changes in a report. These changes could include abolishing the agency; although the ultimate decision would rest with Congress.
The Council will be composed of the Secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense, as well as experts from the private sector.
FEMA has come in for severe criticism in recent months from Republicans, including President Trump himself, with suggestions that disaster relief was withheld from residents of states afflicted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton because they were Republican.
In an interview with Sean Hannity last week, Trump said, “FEMA is getting in the way of everything.”
“FEMA has not done their job for the last four years,” he added.
He suggested that states should be allowed to respond to disasters themselves, and then seek federal funding and resources if needed.
FEMA currently employs more than 20,000 people across the US, with its headquarters in Washington DC. It has ten regional offices.
Trump has yet to appoint a new head to the agency.