FEMA rescinds strategic plan less than 2 weeks before hurricane season
CBSMAY 24
FEMA Rescinds Strategic Plan Ahead of Hurricane Season
Above: The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) building is seen on May 15, 2025 in Washington, D.C. Image copyright: Kayla Bartkowski/Staff/Getty Images via Getty Images News
The Spin
Republican narrative
Trump's bold FEMA overhaul represents desperately needed reform of a bloated, inefficient bureaucracy that has repeatedly failed Americans in crisis. By empowering states to handle their own disasters with federal financial support, Trump champions local control over FEMA's red tape. This streamlined approach will deliver faster, more effective disaster relief.
Democratic narrative
Trump's recklessness towards FEMA with hurricane season around the corner is dangerous. Gutting staff, slashing budgets, and abandoning hurricane preparations while extreme weather intensifies slashes a vital safety net with an active hurricane season on the horizon. By definition, FEMA supports overwhelmed state and local governments during disasters — this rhetoric of "pushing down" disaster responsibilities isn't logical.