Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited parts of Kentucky that were hit hardest by flooding and met with disaster management officials including Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear on Wednesday.
Noem, who oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency, told reporters that President Donald Trump’s plans might include cutting FEMA’s administration, but that would not necessarily affect the amount of money going to states.
“That's really President Trump's vision,” Noem said. “You've heard him talk about eliminating FEMA, and what he means by that is that the people that are closest to the individuals that were hurt or impacted by a disaster are the ones who know what they need more than people sitting in Washington, D.C. do.”
Last month, after touring North Carolina’s flooding post-Hurricane Helene, Trump said FEMA is too bureaucratic and that state governments should handle disasters within their states. He also said he would issue an executive order to "begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA — or maybe getting rid of FEMA."
Trump has since signed an executive order creating the “Federal Emergency Management Agency Review Council” to recommend structural changes to the agency. Only Congress has the authority to dismantle FEMA.
Officials are still assessing the damage from severe weather earlier this month, which killed 23 Kentuckians. The rains, snow and freezing temperatures caused widespread damage particularly in eastern Kentucky. President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration Monday, freeing up a maximum of nearly $44,000 per household to help repair homes and up to more than $700 to buy food and supplies.
Noem said FEMA has historically been too slow at handling applications for individual assistance and relief during a press conference Wednesday evening at the Boone National Guard Center in Frankfort.
Reporters asked about proposed cuts to FEMA, including potential cuts in the FEMA resilience office, which helps communities prepare for potential disasters and mitigate risk. Noem said cuts might result in a smaller federal staff, but not less money for states. She described a situation where state officials would be more responsible for distributing funds.
“If you saw a reduction in spending, it's probably going to be in, you know, less people needed at the administrative level, or, you know, less buildings in Washington, DC, and more of those dollars being able to be deployed down to the local level,” Noem said.
Before meeting with Noem, Beshear thanked the Trump administration for their swift assistance. He said “zero politics” played into the decision making.
“While I know there's a different discussion that's out there about the future, I can tell you the present,” Beshear said. “They did what we needed and are continuing to do what we need. So I'm grateful.”
Beshear said he will continue pushing to add more counties to the 11 that have so far received expedited major disaster declarations. Officials are setting up multiple disaster recovery centers across the region, centralizing federal and state agencies to help people recover from the damage.
Eric Gibson, with the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management, emphasized the importance of speedy communications between the state and federal authorities in quickly accessing aid.
“I can't say enough about how the relationship is so important to be successful in one of these disasters,” Gibson said. “Good information quickly from me to [Beshear], and from him to you is critical in making sure that Kentucky is as protected as it possibly can be during one of these disasters.”
