On Sunday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order creating an advisory council that will examine the efficiency of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).
As reported by Fox News, the executive order establishes a FEMA Review Council, consisting of 20 members and co-chaired by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem. The council will aim to improve FEMA’s efficiency, priorities, and competence in the wake of several natural disasters, to which the agency’s responses were widely criticized.
FEMA’s efficiency, or lack thereof, has come under greater scrutiny following the impact of Hurricane Helene, which struck several southeastern states in 2024, in particular the state of North Carolina. More recently, a series of wildfires have devastated southern California, including Los Angeles. FEMA’s responses to both disasters have been criticized as too slow and insufficient to meet the needs of displaced Americans.
“Despite obligating nearly $30 billion in disaster aid each of the past three years, FEMA has managed to leave vulnerable Americans without the resources or support they need when they need it most,” the executive order declares. “There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA. Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President.”
“Americans deserve an immediate, effective, and impartial response to and recovery from disasters,” the order adds. “FEMA therefore requires a full-scale review, by individuals highly experienced at effective disaster response and recovery, who shall recommend to the President improvements or structural changes to promote the national interest and enable national resilience.”
President Trump has repeatedly said he would like to see disaster response be handled more directly by the state governments and statewide organizations, rather than waiting for the federal agency to arrive.
Secretary Hegseth and Secretary Noem are two of the only four Cabinet nominees that have been confirmed thus far. Hegseth was confirmed on Friday by a vote of 51-50; after Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and former Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) voted against Hegseth, Vice President Vance had to break the 50-50 tie in favor of his confirmation. Noem was confirmed on Saturday in a slightly more bipartisan vote, with 59 votes in favor and 34 votes against.
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