The Federal Emergency Management Agency is under scrutiny as it manages recovery from devastating Texas floods that killed nearly 120 people. President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem are considering scaling back FEMA’s role, with Noem now personally approving all agency spending over $100,000. FEMA has recently established a task force to mitigate delays caused by the new rule, but some officials argue that it introduces unnecessary bureaucracy. Former FEMA staff cite confusion over leadership and say the agency is shrinking while managing over 700 open disasters. White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said discussions about FEMA’s future are ongoing.
