The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is tasked with aiding communities in preparing for, managing, and recovering from severe weather and climate-induced disasters. However, over the past year and a half, the Trump administration has significantly undermined the agency, shifting disaster response and recovery responsibilities onto state, local, Tribal, and territorial governments.
Moreover, the administration’s actions have triggered an affordability crisis, further limiting people’s ability to handle disasters. As the North Atlantic hurricane season kicks off today (June 1 through November 30), there is a pressing need for policymakers to enhance protection for citizens and the economy.
2026: the “Triple Danger” of the unchecked Trump administration
May to October marks the Danger Season in North America, a period when extreme weather such as heat, flooding, wildfires, drought, and hurricanes are most severe. The year 2026 feels different, as we face the triple crises of climate change, the authoritarian Trump administration, and economic instability. Erika Spanger highlights how these crises intertwine, emphasizing that the administration’s delay and cancellation of vital programs like FEMA’s preparedness grants weaken local communities’ ability to manage climate impacts. These communities, already burdened by rising gas and food prices, are the least equipped to handle this Danger Season.
Although NOAA forecasts a below normal 2026 Atlantic hurricane season, with 8 to 14 named storms, three to six hurricanes, and potentially one to three major hurricanes, many lack the means to prepare for or recover from even one major hurricane due to the high cost of essential needs like air conditioning during deadly heat.
The current state of FEMA
Under President Trump’s second term, FEMA staff have experienced emotional turmoil and instability, affecting communities nationwide. In October 2025, I detailed FEMA’s lack of readiness for disasters. Despite some changes, Trump’s primary goal remains to weaken the agency, evident in indiscriminate staff firings, politicization of disaster aid, and burdening local governments with disaster response responsibilities.
The new DHS Secretary, Markwayne Mullin, has reversed some of the dismantling actions taken by former Secretary Kristi Noem, likely due to congressional pressure and court orders. Secretary Mullin appears to be persuading the administration of the necessity of reinstating training, grants, and personnel. Below are some recent reversals of FEMA-related attacks by Trump’s administration.
- DHS Secretary Mullin, during his confirmation hearing, promised to eliminate former DHS Secretary Noem’s $100,000 expenditure review requirement and expedite disaster assistance. He has achieved the first goal and made progress on the second.
- Following two Federal court orders, FEMA announced funding for $1 billion for the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) program. However, this amount is significantly less than the $4.6 billion allocated by Congress through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund (DRF).
- On May 13, 2026, FEMA released $600 million in Flood Mitigation Assistance (FMA) grants, previously retracted on February 14, 2025. These funds support capacity building, flood risk reduction, and mitigation projects for communities in the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP).
- On April 30, 2026, FEMA rehired 14 staff members previously dismissed by Secretary Noem for signing the Katrina Declaration, which warned Congress of the Trump administration’s detrimental cuts and attacks on FEMA’s mission.
- On April 30, 2026, the Washington Post reported FEMA’s plans to rehire 100 of its 300 Cadre of On-Call Response and Recovery (CORE) employees, initially laid off as part of Secretary Noem’s plan to reduce FEMA’s workforce by 50%. The actual rehiring figure is uncertain, as some employees declined reinstatement or retired.
Despite these positive reversals, FEMA faces challenges from four main stressors: 1) unqualified leadership; 2) loss of institutional knowledge due to staff departures; 3) delays and uncertainties in grant funding; and 4) radical policy shifts.
Unqualified leadership
While Secretary Mullin represents an improvement from the low standards set by Secretary Noem, his qualifications to lead DHS remain in question. He has denied climate change, supported extreme immigration policies, spread misinformation about FEMA, and opposed certifying the 2020 elections. Former DHS official Miles Taylor emphasized in an NPR interview that the DHS secretary role is “the hardest job in Washington” and requires someone willing to challenge authority and speak truthfully.
After a year and a half and three unqualified acting FEMA administrators (Cameron Hamilton, David Richardson, and Karen Evans), President Trump nominated Cameron Hamilton on May 11 — the same individual he previously fired for supporting FEMA’s existence. Hamilton admitted to sharing false information about FEMA on social media, lacks the required experience as stipulated by the Post Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act (PKEMRA) of 2006, and should not be confirmed by the Senate, though he is expected to be.
Currently, 18 out of 38 FEMA leadership positions remain vacant, including Deputy Administrator, Chief of Staff, and nine Regional Administrator roles. Filling these critical positions may take six months to a year, according to former FEMA chief of staff Michael Coen. Additionally, the Trump administration continues to enforce a hiring freeze, allowing FEMA to hire only 300 high-priority staff.
Gregg Phillips, Associate Administrator of the Office of Response and Recovery, is reportedly unqualified for his role, known for promoting conspiracy theories and making outlandish claims, such as teleporting to Waffle House.
Brain drain and staffing losses
Since the second Trump administration began, FEMA has lost about one-third of its workforce due to terminations, buyouts, and early retirements. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) reported that last year FEMA started the hurricane season with merely 12% of its incident management workforce available, a concerning statistic when recalling the 2023 GAO report that noted a 35% staffing gap. Congress responded by passing a resolution condemning federal workforce reductions that undermine FEMA’s preparedness and recovery efforts.
The loss is not just in numbers but also in talent, as many departing employees possessed extensive experience in their fields. Two major lawsuits challenge the Trump administration’s employment practices. A coalition of unions, local governments, and nonprofits sued the administration for firing CORE employees without congressional approval, as required by law. A second class action lawsuit was filed on behalf of federal workers alleging unlawful termination for participating in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Grant delays and uncertainty
The Trump administration’s attacks on FEMA grant programs have been extensive, pushing state and local governments toward litigation, a tactic familiar to President Trump. Approximately five lawsuits have been filed against FEMA/DHS for restricting, reallocating, withholding, freezing, or terminating preparedness and disaster assistance grant funding.
Chad Berginnis, Executive Director of the Association of State Floodplain Managers, provided testimony to Congress emphasizing the need for FEMA to be “adequately funded and operationally functional.” He highlighted how local and state partners have faced “significant operational and funding disruptions,” complicating their hurricane season preparedness and response efforts.
Although many recent grant cancellations or funding restrictions have been reversed, President Trump continues to politicize disaster assistance, delaying and denying disaster declarations especially for blue states. At present, 27 disaster declaration requests remain pending, with the earliest dating back to October 24, 2025, from Arizona. The president has also withheld Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) funding since March 18, 2025, marking the first instance in 27 years where a president has denied such aid, which is typically awarded alongside public and individual assistance following a disaster declaration.
Radical policy shift
On January 24, during a visit to North Carolina, which was devastated by Hurricane Helene, President Trump signed an executive order establishing the FEMA Review Council. This council’s final meeting on May 7 resulted in a report largely aligned with Project 2025. Most proposed policy changes require Congressional action or new regulations and would need phased implementation over two to three years. If enacted, these recommendations would shift disaster response and recovery burdens to local governments, privatize the National Flood Insurance Program, ignore pre-disaster mitigation, and alter individual assistance, leaving many people less safe post-disaster. Comments on these proposals are due June 8, 2026, and UCS will submit feedback.
Which FEMA will show up this Atlantic hurricane season?
FEMA has been under the Trump administration’s scrutiny since the beginning. As this Atlantic hurricane season begins, compounded by climate change, we must question which FEMA will emerge. Will it be the same FEMA that struggled under Secretary Noem’s restrictive funding rules, leading to dysfunction during the Texas flash floods, or a more stable FEMA under Secretary Mullin and nominee Cameron Hamilton?
Hopefully, it will be the latter. Currently, FEMA Region IX administrator Bob Fenton serves as the acting administrator for the third time, bringing decades of experience. However, on May 14, 2026, Representatives Bennie Thompson and Timothy Kennedy sent a strongly worded letter to Secretary Mullin and acting administrator Fenton, expressing “serious and growing alarm over FEMA’s deteriorating readiness to protect the American people.”
Whichever FEMA shows up, we all need to prepare for the 2026 hurricane season
The destructive power of hurricanes means even one can devastate a region. As NOAA advises, “early preparation is essential to staying safe all season.” Here are some practical ideas to prepare for hurricane season, beyond the usual advice to 1) have an evacuation plan; 2) build an emergency kit (Build a Kit); and 3) heed local officials. Preparedness and the ability to manage crises are crucial, especially under an administration seemingly indifferent to public safety. The veteran-led Team Rubicon offers a “7 No-Cost and Low-Cost Ways to Prepare for a Hurricane” checklist worth reviewing!
Call on Congress to demand FEMA readiness and oversight
We must maintain pressure on the Trump administration to fill FEMA leadership roles with qualified individuals, release funding promptly, and ensure communities receive necessary post-disaster support. This requires continued pressure on Congress to adequately fund FEMA and ensure accountability and oversight. Please: Tell Congress: Stop Trump’s Dismantling of FEMA and Disaster Relief.
