During a recent visit to Asheville, North Carolina, President Donald Trump floated the idea of fundamentally overhauling the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). "If it was up to me," Trump said, "I'd end [FEMA] right now, and I'd just let the state take care of the problem." He subsequently signed an executive order to assess FEMA's ability to provide "immediate, effective, and impartial response to and recovery from disasters."
The president's comments brought immediate pushback. Kentucky Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear called the elimination of FEMA a "very bad idea." Sen. Bill Cassidy (R–La.) stopped short of condemning Trump's comments, saying some federal disaster agency is needed, even if that agency isn't FEMA.
But Trump is right about this one. The system of federal disaster relief does need reform. FEMA's failures are well-documented, and they have come at a steep cost to taxpayers. Though the agency has received nearly $30 billion in annual appropriations the past three years, areas impacted by natural disasters have seen suboptimal recovery, including Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Florida, and North Carolina.
