ICYMI: Ranking Member Garcia Demands Answers on Whether FEMA Can Still Respond to Disasters After Trump’s Gutting of the Agency
Sabotaging Our Safety Is Documenting How the Trump Administration Is Undermining Disaster Preparedness and Relief, Leaving Americans Vulnerable When Disasters Strike
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representative Robert Garcia, Ranking Member of the House Oversight Committee, wrote to acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson demanding information on how the agency plans to respond to disasters after the Trump Administration’s gutting of FEMA staff, killing preparedness programs, blocking disaster funding to states, and Secretary Kristi Noem’s incompetent leadership.
Garcia’s letter comes as evidence mounts that Trump has politicized disaster relief while gutting the agency Americans depend on during emergencies.
HERE’S WHAT WE KNOW:
Trump is systematically destroying America’s emergency response capabilities
Trump proposed eliminating FEMA entirely and has already slashed 20% of FEMA’s staff while freezing critical emergency funds.
The administration cancelled FEMA’s Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program and removed Flood Mitigation Assistance funding for 2025, eliminating $4.6 billion in disaster protection.
A former FEMA official warns that “states do not have the capacity to handle these extraordinary events” without federal coordination and resources.
Trump is using disaster relief as a tool to reward allies and punish opponents
Secretary Kristi Noem fast-tracked $11 million to rebuild a Naples pier within two weeks after her campaign donor requested help, while communities nationwide face dangerous delays in FEMA assistance.
Between February and June, Trump denied 6 of 10 disaster requests from Democratic governors while approving 14 of 15 requests from Republican governors during a period that saw 14 separate large-scale disasters totaling over $100 billion in damages.
A federal judge blocked Trump’s illegal attempt to make FEMA funding conditional on unrelated policy demands. Despite that ruling, the administration continues exploiting emergency aid as a political tool.
WHAT WE DON’T KNOW:
Who is actually in charge of FEMA and whether the agency can respond to the next disaster
Acting FEMA Administrator David Richardson has been missing in action since taking the job. He was unreachable for 24 hours during the first critical day of the deadly Hill Country flooding that killed over 130 people, according to Washington Post reporting.
New bureaucratic requirements are causing deadly delays. Secretary Kristi Noem’s approval is now required for contracts over $100,000, which delayed Urban Search and Rescue deployment for more than 72 hours during the Texas floods.
After gutting 20% of FEMA staff, canceling preparedness programs, and proposing to eliminate the agency entirely, it’s unclear how FEMA plans to fulfill its responsibilities to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and emergencies.
The Trump administration is refusing to answer Congress. As of November 3, 2025, FEMA hasn’t responded to any of the House Oversight Committee’s letters, a clear sign the administration has something to hide about whether FEMA can actually do its job.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Trump is systematically destroying America’s emergency response capabilities while handing out massive tax cuts to billionaires. He’s politicizing disaster relief to reward Republican allies while punishing Democratic states. Americans are dying in floods and fires while Trump plays politics with their lives. Ranking Member Garcia is demanding answers on how FEMA plans to respond to the next disaster after the Trump Administration has gutted the agency.
Americans deserve a president who protects everyone.
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