President Donald Trump has sidestepped questions about his prior plans to eliminate FEMA following a devastating flash flood in Texas that claimed over 100 lives, including children at a girls-only summer camp.
When asked about the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency shortly after the disaster, Trump said it was “not the right time” to discuss it. He also avoided the topic during a nearly two-hour Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.
Instead, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem opened the meeting by recounting her emotional visit to Kerrville, Texas, where the July 4th flood swept through riverfront campsites and homes. Noem described being overwhelmed by the devastation and emphasized that disaster response is led by state authorities, with federal agencies offering support.
“Texas is strong,” she said. “We don’t manage these disasters—we support the states, and that’s what we did here.”
The administration has not clarified whether plans to phase out FEMA are still being considered.