President Donald Trump signed this week shifting responsibility for disaster preparations to state and local governments, a nod to his suggestion earlier this year to dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency. U.S. Rep. Chuck Edwards, who represents the state鈥檚 16 westernmost counties, told BPR he 鈥渇ully supports the decision.鈥�
During a to Asheville, Trump said he wanted to give the states more responsibility in disaster situations. In the immediate aftermath of the storm, Trump criticized the agency and spread misinformation about its response in Western North Carolina.
鈥溾�奍 think we're going to recommend that FEMA go away, and we pay directly. We pay a percentage to the state, but the state should fix this. If the state did this from the beginning, it would have been a lot better situation,鈥� Trump said.
This executive order does just that by empowering 鈥渟tate, local, and individual preparedness.鈥� It also calls for a review of all infrastructure, security and disaster preparedness policies. A White House official the latest order 鈥渨as not aimed at closing FEMA.鈥�
Edwards told BPR that state and local governments are better positioned to respond to disasters than the federal government.
鈥淣obody knows the needs of the people impacted by a natural disaster better than the region鈥檚 state and local governments. I have been saying for weeks that our states can do it better, and I鈥檝e included this suggestion in my report to the president,鈥� Edwards said in an email.
鈥淚 fully support the transition of disaster preparation and recovery to a more state-centered approach. FEMA should be supporting, not leading, disaster recovery.鈥�
State and local leaders know community needs better, Edwards wrote.
鈥� We must get bureaucracy out of the way so they can lead the charge in response and recovery for the people of Western North Carolina,鈥� he wrote.
Throughout Helene recovery, Edwards has been critical of FEMA while also sharing FEMA resources and fact-checking misinformation about the agency.
In his email , he explained that the agency 鈥渉as shipped 13 million meals and 13 million liters of water utilizing the $20 billion in funds that I helped to draft and pass for disaster relief just two days before Hurricane Helene hit.鈥�
Edwards is part of the administration鈥檚 taskforce to 鈥榝ix FEMA鈥� which was established in . The taskforce, led by Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley, includes other N.C. Reps.Virginia Foxx (NC-05) and Tim Moore (NC-14).
At an , Edwards said he wants the voices of the region to be heard in Washington.
鈥淚鈥檝e been heavily engaged in bringing the feedback that I鈥檝e had from the leaders in Western North Carolina and the folks that have been affected by the storm and compiling that into a comprehensive report that I intend to present to the taskforce and put on the president鈥檚 desk,鈥� Edwards said.
In , Trump ordered a review of FEMA. The latest executive order doubles down on that review, calling for an examination of 鈥渁ll critical infrastructure policies鈥� and recommendations within 180 days for a 鈥渕ore resilient posture.鈥�
The order does keep the federal government involved in the process by calling for a nationwide plan for disasters from 鈥渢he heads of relevant executive departments and agencies鈥� It says that the National Resilience Strategy will then be updated every four years or as needed. The review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency from the FEMA council is due within 240 days of the executive order. The order also calls for a review of National Security policies and more.
FEMA staff exodus before review
Rob Moore, director of the flooding solutions team at the Natural Resources Defense Council, accused the Trump administration of hurting U.S. disaster readiness.
"From day one, the Trump administration has been eroding the nation's capacity to plan for, respond to, and recover from disasters," Moore . "They've overseen the dismissal of 1,000 FEMA staff - who won't be there to respond to a flood or wildfire - and are withholding funding from local and state governments who are doing risk reduction projects and more."
FEMA staff have been terminated or resigned as part of the Trump administration鈥檚 federal staffing reductions. In February, were fired, and the reported that more than 800 FEMA employees opted for the deferred resignation offer.
Felicia Sonmez, Gerard Albert III and Jose Sandoval contributed to this report.
