Why Trump's remake of FEMA should worry Floridians

[Zorro]

States alone cannot handle natural disasters

As a reporter, I know all too well that congressional hearings have changed over time, becoming more performative than substantive. But as a Floridian, I am vested in one topic getting more congressional scrutiny: President Donald Trump’s plan to reshape the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

I say “reshape” because Trump’s plans are not clear, cogent or consistent. He has suggested eliminating FEMA and transferring disaster management and recovery to the states. In January, Trump signed an executive order calling for a review of FEMA, including whether it could serve as a “support agency” to the states rather than an overarching umbrella for America’s disaster relief efforts.

Where this goes is anybody’s guess. Trump is an impulsive figure who rarely bothers with the details or worries about the fallout. He has telegraphed his desire for change and subordinates eager to please will take it from there. But with deadly tornadoes ravaging the central U.S. and the Atlantic hurricane season just days away, this proposal deserves more public attention and debate. The starting point is simple — that it’s ridiculous to assume the states can manage on their own.

Let’s first dispense with the obvious: FEMA can be a slow-moving, frustrating bureaucracy that fails storm victims and inflates the costs for taxpayers. The states could play a larger role, both in improving the claims experience for victims and in managing the outlay for communities to get back on their feet. Sensible reforms could include everything from easier customer portals and better coordination between government, insurers and charities to block-granting money to states to expedite the reconstruction of devastated areas.

But states have wildly different resources and varying experience in managing natural disasters. FEMA provides a backdrop of technical assistance and relief that states cannot duplicate and that no state can afford to have at the ready.

https://www.tampabay.com/opinion/2025/05/22/why-trumps-remake-fema-should-worry-floridians-column/