Trump threatens to scrape Emergency Agency Fema | Donald Trump

President Donald Trump said Friday that he would consider signing an executive order to “basic reform” or potentially eliminate Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and criticize the agency’s disaster action during a tour of hurricane -damaged areas of western North Carolina.

Trump, who spoke to journalists in Asheville, called Fema “not good” and “a disaster”, suggesting that the agency is ineffective in responding to natural emergencies.

“I think we would recommend that FEMA go away,” the president told the pool.

The trip comes four months after Hurricane Helene destroyed Buncombe County, where 42 people were killed and local injuries are estimated at over $ 50 billion. Trump received a briefing on recovery efforts and met with affected families during his visit.

Trump suggested to give governors more direct responsibility for disaster action, indicating that he wants to redirect federal funding directly to states rather than through the federal agency.

FEMA, with an annual budget in the tens of thousands of billions of dollars and more than 20,000 employees, would need congressional approval to be closed.

The president is scheduled to continue his tour in the disaster area with his next stop in Los Angeles, where he will investigate the fire-damaged regions of Pacific Palisades as nearby fires are still burning in southern California