White House Scrambles to Repair FEMA Before June 1 Season After $15 Billion Aid Backlog
Updated
Updated · The Daily Beast · May 31
White House Scrambles to Repair FEMA Before June 1 Season After $15 Billion Aid Backlog
4 articles · Updated · The Daily Beast · May 31
Markwayne Mullin has restarted FEMA funding and lifted hiring freezes as the White House tries to stabilize the disaster agency on the eve of the June 1 Atlantic hurricane season.
CNN, citing about 50 FEMA insiders, said Kristi Noem's 13-month tenure left the agency in chaos through firings, rehiring battles and a rule requiring her sign-off on grants above $100,000.
That bottleneck helped leave more than $15 billion in disaster funds unspent by December, while internal plans outlined cuts affecting over 11,500 employees and whistleblowers warned emergency-response systems were being dismantled.
Trump has already pushed Noem out of FEMA oversight, replaced Karen Evans and brought back Cameron Hamilton, while at least 15 staffers tied to the Katrina Declaration have been rehired.
The repair effort follows months of delayed aid and political backlash, with officials warning FEMA could take years to rebuild and may be unprepared for a major disaster this year.
After a year of turmoil, can FEMA rebuild its capacity before the next major disaster strikes?
What new safeguards will prevent political agendas from blocking crucial disaster relief funds in the future?