Trump considers scaling back federal disaster aid to states
Donald Trump has proposed shifting disaster relief responsibilities from the federal government to individual states, a move that experts warn could devastate states reliant on Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) aid amid worsening climate disasters.
Oliver Milman and Dharna Noor report for The Guardian.
In short:
- Trump criticized FEMA for "complicating everything" and suggested states should handle disaster responses with limited federal financial support.
- Republican-leaning states, which have received the majority of FEMA aid in recent years, could be hit hardest by the proposed changes.
- Experts warn the policy shift could leave poorer states, like Mississippi and Alabama, unable to recover from disasters as climate impacts grow more severe.
Key quote:
“In the past 72 hours America has become much more precarious in terms of the risk we are facing. Promising to worsen the climate crisis, paired with dismantling FEMA, is setting us up for catastrophe.”
— Samantha Montano, disaster response expert at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy
Why this matters:
The proposal could weaken the U.S. disaster response system at a time when climate-driven storms, floods and wildfires are growing more frequent and costly. Many states lack the financial resources to independently manage recovery efforts, leaving vulnerable populations at greater risk.
Learn more: Trump suggests withholding federal aid for California wildfire recovery
