Noem's latest strategy puts FEMA at risk of cuts
The Homeland Security secretary voiced approval for discontinuing extended disaster recovery programs managed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
TroibNews 
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has expressed private support for significantly reducing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), according to six sources speaking to PMG’s E&E News.
In a meeting held Tuesday at the Department of Homeland Security headquarters, Noem conveyed to Trump administration officials her desire to eliminate FEMA's involvement in funding long-term rebuilding initiatives and to discontinue multibillion-dollar grant programs aimed at helping communities prepare for disasters.
While no decisions have been finalized, it remains uncertain whether specific FEMA functions would be eliminated from the federal government altogether or reassigned to another agency or department.
"We are grateful the press is covering Secretary Noem’s efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse within the Department of Homeland Security," a spokesperson for DHS stated.
The meeting, which took place one day after Noem declared she was going to "eliminate FEMA," also included FEMA’s acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton and Corey Lewandowski, an adviser to President Donald Trump.
According to the insiders, Noem and other officials are considering rebranding FEMA by placing it directly under White House oversight and limiting its responsibilities to providing immediate assistance to disaster survivors.
FEMA or its potential successor would designate disaster funding to states solely for “immediate needs” and essential operations such as search-and-rescue missions, along with supplying emergency resources like shelter, food, and water, the sources indicated.
These proposals represent a pivotal shift for FEMA, which operated as an independent agency from its inception in 1979 until 2003, when it became part of the newly established Department of Homeland Security.
Trump has been critical of FEMA both during his presidential campaign and after taking office, even suggesting the possibility of dismantling the agency in January. He initiated a council, co-chaired by Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to evaluate FEMA and propose recommendations by late July.
However, the administration is now contemplating the dissolution of this council, according to the sources who spoke with E&E News. A recent Federal Register notice encourages the public to share their experiences with FEMA. Notably, the council has yet to convene.
During a televised Cabinet meeting on Monday, Noem addressed DHS initiatives concerning border control and drug interdiction, concluding her remarks with, “And we’re going to eliminate FEMA,” a comment that left lawmakers, state emergency officials, and FEMA representatives taken aback.
Noem’s Tuesday discussion with Hamilton and Lewandowski clarified to some FEMA officials her intentions to prepare for the agency's reduction in size by the fiscal year’s end. A DHS insider noted that the department is actively exploring ways to “narrow and focus the aperture of FEMA’s mission dramatically.”
FEMA allocates substantial funding annually to assist states and individuals in recovering from disasters—including hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires. As climate change and heightened development have intensified the severity of these disasters, FEMA's expenditures have significantly increased.
A person close to FEMA mentioned that the proposed changes could serve as a rebranding effort, allowing Trump to take credit for modifying an agency that has faced substantial criticism regarding its disaster response.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
In a meeting held Tuesday at the Department of Homeland Security headquarters, Noem conveyed to Trump administration officials her desire to eliminate FEMA's involvement in funding long-term rebuilding initiatives and to discontinue multibillion-dollar grant programs aimed at helping communities prepare for disasters.
While no decisions have been finalized, it remains uncertain whether specific FEMA functions would be eliminated from the federal government altogether or reassigned to another agency or department.
"We are grateful the press is covering Secretary Noem’s efforts to eliminate waste, fraud, and abuse within the Department of Homeland Security," a spokesperson for DHS stated.
The meeting, which took place one day after Noem declared she was going to "eliminate FEMA," also included FEMA’s acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton and Corey Lewandowski, an adviser to President Donald Trump.
According to the insiders, Noem and other officials are considering rebranding FEMA by placing it directly under White House oversight and limiting its responsibilities to providing immediate assistance to disaster survivors.
FEMA or its potential successor would designate disaster funding to states solely for “immediate needs” and essential operations such as search-and-rescue missions, along with supplying emergency resources like shelter, food, and water, the sources indicated.
These proposals represent a pivotal shift for FEMA, which operated as an independent agency from its inception in 1979 until 2003, when it became part of the newly established Department of Homeland Security.
Trump has been critical of FEMA both during his presidential campaign and after taking office, even suggesting the possibility of dismantling the agency in January. He initiated a council, co-chaired by Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, to evaluate FEMA and propose recommendations by late July.
However, the administration is now contemplating the dissolution of this council, according to the sources who spoke with E&E News. A recent Federal Register notice encourages the public to share their experiences with FEMA. Notably, the council has yet to convene.
During a televised Cabinet meeting on Monday, Noem addressed DHS initiatives concerning border control and drug interdiction, concluding her remarks with, “And we’re going to eliminate FEMA,” a comment that left lawmakers, state emergency officials, and FEMA representatives taken aback.
Noem’s Tuesday discussion with Hamilton and Lewandowski clarified to some FEMA officials her intentions to prepare for the agency's reduction in size by the fiscal year’s end. A DHS insider noted that the department is actively exploring ways to “narrow and focus the aperture of FEMA’s mission dramatically.”
FEMA allocates substantial funding annually to assist states and individuals in recovering from disasters—including hurricanes, flooding, and wildfires. As climate change and heightened development have intensified the severity of these disasters, FEMA's expenditures have significantly increased.
A person close to FEMA mentioned that the proposed changes could serve as a rebranding effort, allowing Trump to take credit for modifying an agency that has faced substantial criticism regarding its disaster response.
Mathilde Moreau for TROIB News
