Trump Administration Task Force Recommends Changes to FEMA Disaster Response

The document did not recommend eliminating the agency but called for reducing what it described as mission creep and program failures. The report stated that federal assistance should focus on truly significant events and that state and local governments should lead most recovery efforts.

It recommended streamlining assistance programs and reforming the National Flood Insurance Program, which carries more than $20 billion in debt.

Harris, emergency manager in Seminole County, Florida, said local governments would try to fill gaps if federal support decreases. He noted uncertainty about outcomes without additional funding. Casey Tingle, senior vice president at Plexos Group and former Louisiana homeland security director, said layered funding shifts could change financial responsibility for disasters.

He called for case-by-case discussions on any federal funding reductions. Casi Callaway, principal at Activate-Build-Connect and former Mobile, Alabama, resilience officer, said local budgets often prioritize visible projects over hazard mitigation upgrades.

She stated that reduced upfront investment could increase later economic and community damage.

Muller of the Pew Charitable

Trusts said billion-dollar disasters have increased from under 40 in the 1980s to over 120 in the 2010s. Through 2024, this decade has recorded just under 120 such events with six years remaining. Muller added that federal disaster aid to eight states over the past 20 years exceeded 50 percent of their 2024 reserve levels.

Joanne Pérodin of the CLEO Institute said state and local governments already lead disaster recovery but need clearer criteria for federal involvement. She noted varying state tax structures and risk profiles across regions.