Trump Administration Reinstates 9/11 Survivors Staff Amid FEMA Reform Debates Involving Noem, Donalds, Congress, and Moskowitz

The Trump administration has reinstated staff for the 9/11 survivors program following a reorganization at the Department of Health and Human Services. Meanwhile, discussions around the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have intensified. Byron Donalds has expressed confidence in his ability to reform FEMA, while South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem has cut a FEMA grant program that benefited her state. Noem has also engaged in discussions about FEMA disaster relief efforts for Mississippi, a state frequently affected by natural disasters.

Trump’s FEMA administrator stated that abolishing the agency is not in America’s best interest. In response, Congress has proposed a comprehensive FEMA restructuring plan that counters Trump’s approach. Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith questioned Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem about the implications of the president’s FEMA reform order for Mississippi. Former emergency management director and Congressman Jared Moskowitz warned that Noem’s proposed plan to dismantle FEMA and redistribute its functions to other agencies would reduce efficiency and worsen emergency management. Additionally, Noem reportedly took action against the FEMA administrator shortly after he opposed Trump’s policies.