Oklahoma governor backs Trump’s calls for greater state control of emergency FEMA funds
The article discusses Oklahoma officials, including Governor Kevin stitt, supporting former President Donald trump’s proposal for states too have greater control over emergency management adn disaster response funding, rather then relying heavily on FEMA. Stitt hosted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and FEMA’s review council to advocate for more adaptability for state and local emergency managers. Stitt emphasized that Oklahoma knows how to respond to disasters more efficiently and effectively than the federal government and suggested this “Oklahoma standard” should be applied nationwide. Noem reinforced that disaster response should be “locally executed” and “state-led” with federal support. The Trump administration has considered dismantling FEMA and shifting disaster relief responsibilities to the states, with Trump expressing a desire to “wean off FEMA” after the 2025 hurricane season. Despite this push, FEMA still provides significant disaster funding, and there is a bipartisan movement to elevate FEMA to Cabinet-level status in congress.
Oklahoma governor backs Trump’s calls for greater state control of emergency FEMA funds
Oklahoma officials, including Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) and federal lawmakers, are backing a push from President Donald Trump for states to create larger emergency response programs instead of using FEMA resources.
Stitt hosted Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and the president’s FEMA review council to “advocate for greater flexibility for state and local emergency managers in our disaster response.”
“Today and this week, you guys are gonna spend a lot of time talking about how to best respond to disasters nationwide,” Stitt said, according to NOTUS. “It’s our experience that FEMA’s response to disasters is not necessarily effective or efficient.”
“We know our land, we know our people, and we know how to respond faster, leaner and smarter than Washington ever could. That’s the ‘Oklahoma standard,’ and that should be the American standard,” Stitt said.
Noem, whose agency houses FEMA, said every disaster should be “locally executed,” “state-led” and with support from the federal government.
The Trump administration has floated outright dismantling FEMA and has urged states to create their own agencies to handle disaster relief.
“We want to wean off of FEMA, and we want to bring it down to the state level,” Trump said in June when he proposed ending FEMA after the U.S. 2025 hurricane season.
Trump used Oklahoma as an example of what states could do if FEMA were to be overhauled.
“I love Oklahoma, but you know what? If they get hit with a tornado or something, let Oklahoma fix it. You don’t need — and then the federal government can help them out with the money. The FEMA is getting in the way of everything,” he said in January.
Still, FEMA approved millions of dollars last year for disaster response in Oklahoma.
HURRICANE WATCH: TRUMP’S REMADE WEATHER AGENCIES IN THE EYE OF THE DOGE STORM
The Trump administration still has no formal plans to entirely eliminate the agency at this time, according to the Washington Post.
Meanwhile, there is a bipartisan push in both the House and Senate that is looking to make FEMA a Cabinet-level agency. Before 2001, FEMA acted as an independent agency.
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