FLETCHER, N.C. — President Donald Trump said Friday that 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.
Speaking to reporters, the president predicted future disasters would need “probably less FEMA, because FEMA just hasn’t done the job. And we’re looking at the whole concept of FEMA.”
The president said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has been too bureaucratic and slow in its response to disasters.
On a visit to a North Carolina neighborhood destroyed by Hurricane Helene, President Trump was highly critical of FEMA, suggesting it should be shut down. Trump arrived late Friday in Los Angeles to visit an area destroyed by a wildfire.
A post by a satirical website saying the new administration of President Donald Trump had redirected $2 billion from programs for illegal migrants toward hurricane recovery efforts in North Carolina was shared online as authentic news.
President Donald Trump floated “getting rid” of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) on Friday as he visited western North Carolina to survey the damage and recovery efforts from Hurricane Helene.
But claims President Donald Trump has directed FEMA to disburse $2 billion in funds initially earmarked for migrants originated on a self-described satire site.
It’s his first visit to North Carolina since taking office and second visit to the Asheville area since Helene hit.
North Carolina locals who survived Hurricane Helene in September but suffered massive losses from the storm share their thoughts on President Donald Trump's visit.
Speaking to reporters Friday at Asheville Regional Airport before meeting with local officials about the recovery from last year’s Hurricane Helene, Trump said FEMA “has been a very big disappointment" and he's considering "getting rid of" the agency.
North Carolina locals speak with Fox News Digital about their hopes that the Trump administration will bring more assistance to those who lost everything in Hurricane Helene.