President Trump Signs Executive Order to Create FEMA Review Council

This just in: President Trump has signed an executive order to establish a review council for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA.)

FEMA came under fire for their appalling handling of Hurricane Helene relief last fall.

Many Hurricane Helene victims are still recovering from the disaster, largely due to FEMA’s completely botched (lack of) response.

The new FEMA review council will hold its first public meeting within 90 days from now and must send a report to President Trump within 180 days after this meeting.

This news comes shortly after President Trump suggested that he might sign an order to get rid of FEMA, altogether.

Here are the details:

🚨#BREAKING: President Trump has signed an executive order creating a “review council” for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),

The council will hold its first public meeting within 90 days and submit a report to the president within 180 days of the first meeting. pic.twitter.com/gzAvBzj7pm

— Matt Van Swol (@matt_vanswol) January 27, 2025

🚨🇺🇸 TRUMP ISSUES ORDER TO CREATE FEMA REVIEW COUNCIL

President Trump signed an executive order establishing a review council for FEMA, just days after suggesting the agency could be shuttered.

The council will hold its first public meeting within 90 days and is tasked with… pic.twitter.com/Q86nkmQsUW

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) January 26, 2025

🚨BREAKING: President Trump just put the ENTIRE FEMA AGENCY under review by creating a review council by executive order, per Reuters.

God bless President Trump for NOT FORGETTING the victims of Hurricane Helene. pic.twitter.com/t13sb5URu4

— Bo Loudon (@BoLoudon) January 27, 2025

Fox News has more on the purpose of the review council:

President Donald Trump put the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) under review on Sunday after signing an executive order aimed at “drastically” improving the agency’s efficacy, priorities and competence.

Trump’s executive order establishes the FEMA Review Council, which will be composed of no more than 20 members and co-chaired by the secretaries of Homeland Security and Defense.

The council is being formed after FEMA’s response to Hurricane Helene and other recent disasters showed the need to improve “efficacy, priorities, and competence, including evaluating whether FEMA’s bureaucracy in disaster response” hinders its ability to respond successfully.

“Despite obligating nearly $30 billion in disaster aid each of the past three years, FEMA has managed to leave vulnerable Americans without the resources or support they need when they need it most,” the executive order reads. “There are serious concerns of political bias in FEMA. Indeed, at least one former FEMA responder has stated that FEMA managers directed her to avoid homes of individuals supporting the campaign of Donald J. Trump for President.”

Trump also said FEMA has lost mission focus, diverting limited resources and staff to support missions outside its scope and authority. The president particularly highlighted that FEMA has spent over a billion dollars welcoming illegal immigrants.

“Americans deserve an immediate, effective, and impartial response to and recovery from disasters,” the order continued. “FEMA therefore requires a full-scale review, by individuals highly experienced at effective disaster response and recovery, who shall recommend to the President improvements or structural changes to promote the national interest and enable national resilience.”

Reuters added:

U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday issued an executive order establishing a review council to evaluate the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), stopping short of instant action to shut or reshape the country’s lead disaster response agency.

The order calls for the establishment of council made up of relevant federal leaders and “distinguished individuals” selected by Trump from outside government. Trump called on the council to hold its first public meeting within 90 days and submit a report to him within 180 days of the first meeting.

Trump raised the idea of shuttering FEMA during a trip on Friday to disaster areas in North Carolina and California, vowing to sign an executive order to overhaul or eliminate the agency.

The Republican president accused FEMA of bungling emergency relief efforts there and said he preferred that states be given federal money to handle disasters themselves.

Trump said in his executive order that there were “serious concerns” of political bias at FEMA and that agency funds had been used for programs related to incoming migrants.