Trump Moves to Cut Federal Disaster Relief 

Washington, D.C. — Only a few days after a series of extreme weather events devastated communities across the midwest and south and killed more than 40 people, Donald Trump signed an executive order shifting responsibility for disaster preparedness from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to state and local governments. This move will make it more difficult for communities to get the help they need when disaster strikes. 

Climate Power communications director Alex Glass issued the following statement: 

“Donald Trump is gutting the resources Americans rely on to prepare for and respond to extreme weather. First, Trump gutted NOAA and the National Weather Service, putting lifesaving weather alerts at risk. Now, this executive order will take away support for local communities to prepare for and respond to disasters. When disaster strikes, Americans need swift relief and help from their elected leaders – Trump is telling disaster survivors they’re on their own to foot the bill.” 

Trump is abandoning communities to handle disasters on their own: 

• Trump planned to lay off more than 1,000 employees from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), making us less prepared for extreme weather and putting lifesaving alerts Americans rely on at risk.
• Trump has fired hundreds of FEMA staffers, which will hinder the agency’s ability to respond to disasters. 
• Trump has planned to drastically cut a Department of Housing and Urban Development office that pays to rebuild homes after natural disasters.
• Red states like Louisiana, Florida, and Texas would be hit especially hard if federal relief funding from FEMA is reduced. 
• Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said dismantling FEMA would be “disastrous” and that it would be much more expensive for states to take over the agency’s work.