Trump nominates Cameron Hamilton to lead FEMA (again) : NPR
NPR Topics: Politics — 2026-08-23 07:25:00 — www.npr.org
Trump’s Disaster Aid Decisions Under Scrutiny as FEMA Faces Staff Cuts and Political Disparities
President Trump’s second term has been marked by a series of natural disasters across the United States, but questions are mounting about the administration’s approach to federal disaster relief and the future of FEMA.
Sharp Decline in FEMA Staffing
Since Trump took office, FEMA has lost 22% of its staff, shrinking from 26,000 to just over 20,000 employees. This reduction, driven by the administration’s 2025 government efficiency efforts, has left the agency with fewer resources to respond to emergencies. While the country has avoided back-to-back catastrophic events like those seen in previous years, experts warn that the agency is operating in a “comfort zone” and may not be prepared for larger crises.
Disparities in Disaster Aid Approvals
A significant concern is the administration’s pattern of denying federal disaster aid at much higher rates to states led by Democrats than to those led by Republicans. According to reporting, Trump has rejected aid requests that would have been routinely approved in the past, including during his own first term. The administration has not provided clear reasons for these denials, creating uncertainty for states in need and raising questions about political bias in disaster response.
Trump’s Evolving Stance on FEMA
Early in his second term, Trump was vocally critical of FEMA, but he has since adopted a more conventional presidential approach, with an apparent position that “FEMA should do no harm.” Notably, Trump reportedly considered abolishing FEMA altogether, but this idea was quickly dismissed by members of his own party, highlighting the agency’s entrenched role in federal emergency management.
Conclusion
President Trump’s record on disaster aid during his second term reveals a sharp reduction in FEMA’s capacity and a troubling pattern of partisan disparities in aid approvals. While the administration’s rhetoric toward FEMA has softened, the impact of staff cuts and politically skewed aid decisions continues to raise concerns about the federal government’s ability to respond fairly and effectively to future disasters.
Source: https://www.npr.org/2026/08/23/nx-s1-5939486/trump-nominates-cameron-hamilton-to-lead-fema-again