‘We’re not preparing’: As Trump officials vow to eliminate FEMA, the agency is already in turmoil

As Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem vows to “eliminate FEMA,” the agency is in turmoil, with disaster assistance, grant money, and hiring largely stalled, threatening its ability to respond to major disasters, multiple FEMA officials tell CNN.

As Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem vows to “eliminate FEMA,” the agency is in turmoil, with disaster assistance, grant money, and hiring largely stalled, threatening its ability to respond to major disasters, multiple FEMA officials tell CNN. Top officials from FEMA and Department of Homeland Security met Tuesday, CNN has learned, to discuss the future of the disaster relief agency and their options for shutting it down. The group, which included Noem, FEMA Acting Administrator Cameron Hamilton, and long-time Trump ally Corey Lewandowski, debated the possibility of rescinding President Donald Trump’s recent executive order establishing a FEMA Review Council and instead moving more quickly to dismantle the agency, according to multiple sources familiar with the meeting. It’s the latest in a series of actions and attacks on FEMA that have stalled the agency’s work and raised concerns about its ability to respond to hurricane season, which is just weeks away. “March is typically when we’re finalizing hurricane plans. A lot of that got paused,” a FEMA official, who works directly on disaster response, told CNN. “So, it’s already having an impact, which is that we’re not preparing.” Last week, FEMA employees received an email titled “Hiring Update,” which outlined a new process, effective immediately, requiring that the majority of the agency’s workers, many of whom hold 2-to-4-year term positions, be directly approved by Secretary Noem’s team in order to be renewed for another term.