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LOS ANGELES — President Donald Trump surveyed disaster zones in California and North Carolina on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025, and said he was considering “getting rid of” the Federal Emergency Management Agency , offering the latest sign of how he is weighing sweeping changes to the nation’s central organization for responding to disasters.
In fire-ravaged California, the state’s Democratic leaders pressed Trump for federal assistance that he’s threatened to hold up, some setting aside their past differences to shower him with praise. Trump, in turn, pressured local officials to waive permitting requirements so people can immediately rebuild, pledging that federal permits would be granted promptly.Direct assistanceInstead of having federal financial assistance flow through Fema, the Republican president said Washington could provide money directly to the states. He made the comments while visiting North Carolina, which is still recovering months after hurricane Helene, on the first trip of his second term.“Fema has been a very big disappointment,” the Republican president said. “It’s very bureaucratic. And it’s very slow.”Trump was greeted in California by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Trump critic whom the president frequently disparages. The duo chatted amiably and gestured toward cooperation despite their bitter history.“We’re going to need your support. We’re going to need your help,” Newsom told Trump. “You were there for us during Covid. I don’t forget that, and I have all the expectations we’ll be able to work together to get a speedy recovery.”Newsom has praised Trump before when looking for help from the federal government. In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, he called Trump “thoughtful” and “collaborative.”Costliest natural disastersTrump flew over several devastated neighborhoods in Marine One, the presidential helicopter, before landing in Pacific Palisades, a hard-hit community that’s home to some of Southern California’s rich and famous. Accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, he walked a street where all the houses have burned, chatting with residents and police officers.It takes seeing the damage firsthand to grasp its enormity, Trump said after. The fires, which continue to burn, could end up being the costliest natural disasters in US history.Fema helps respond to disasters when local leaders request a presidential emergency declaration, a signal that the damage is beyond the state’s ability to handle on its own. FEMA can reimburse governments for recovery efforts such as debris removal, and it gives stopgap financial assistance to individual residents. / AP
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FEMA faces shakeup under Trump while it wrestles with disasters on both coastsWASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is preparing to reshape the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has been on the frontlines of responding to recent wildfires in California and last year's hurricane in North Carolina.
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Trump Visits California and North Carolina Wildfire Zones, Promises FEMA Reform and Withholds Aid ThreatPresident Trump's visit to disaster zones in North Carolina and California saw him offer aid while simultaneously pushing his political agenda. He threatened to withhold funds from California unless it adhered to his demands, criticized FEMA, and highlighted his administration's focus on immigration.
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