4 days ago
Trump seeks record-high FEMA funding after vowing to cut agency
President Donald Trump is seeking a multibillion-dollar spending increase for disasters next year after vowing for months to cut the federal response to hurricanes, wildfires and other damaging events.
Trump asked Congress to approve a record-high $26.5 billion for the Disaster Relief Fund, which reimburses states for disaster cleanup and recovery. Trump's request is 17 percent higher than President Joe Biden's $22.5 billion request for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1.
'The numbers here kind of contradict the narrative recently — in a good way. It's coming out better than expected,' said Carrie Speranza, head of the U.S. division of the International Association of Emergency Managers.
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Since he took office in January, Trump has assailed the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which runs the disaster fund, for what he said was a poor response to Hurricane Helene last fall in North Carolina. Trump has suggested 'abolishing' the agency or scaling it back and giving states more responsibility for disasters.
