LOS ANGELES (AP) 鈥� President surveyed disaster zones in California and North Carolina on Friday and said he was considering 鈥済etting rid of鈥� the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offering the latest sign of how he is weighing sweeping changes to the nation's central organization for responding to disasters.
In California, the state鈥檚 Democratic leaders pressed Trump for federal assistance that he鈥檚 threatened to hold up, some setting aside their past differences to shower him with praise. Trump, in turn, pressured local officials to waive permitting requirements so people can immediately rebuild, pledging that federal permits would be granted promptly.
Instead of having federal financial assistance flow through FEMA, the Republican president said Washington could provide money directly to the states. He made the comments while visiting , which is still recovering months after Hurricane Helene, on the first trip of his second term.
鈥淔EMA has been a very big disappointment," the Republican president said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 very bureaucratic. And it鈥檚 very slow."
Trump was greeted in California by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Trump critic whom the president frequently disparages. The duo chatted amiably and gestured toward cooperation despite their bitter history.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to need your support. We鈥檙e going to need your help,鈥� Newsom told Trump. 鈥淵ou were there for us during COVID. I don鈥檛 forget that, and I have all the expectations we鈥檒l be able to work together to get a speedy recovery.鈥�
Newsom has when looking for help from the federal government. In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, he called Trump 鈥渢houghtful鈥� and 鈥渃ollaborative.鈥�
Trump flew over several devastated neighborhoods in Marine One, the presidential helicopter, before landing in Pacific Palisades, a that鈥檚 home to some of Southern California鈥檚 rich and famous. Accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, he walked a street where all the houses have burned, chatting with residents and police officers.
It takes seeing the damage firsthand to grasp its enormity, Trump said after. The fires, which , could end up being the .
鈥淚t is devastation. It really is an incineration," Trump said.
Trump鈥檚 brief but friendly interaction with Newsom belied the confrontational stance he signaled toward California earlier in the day. Even on the plane en route to Los Angeles, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was using Trump鈥檚 disparaging nickname for the governor, 鈥淣ewscum,鈥� and telling reporters 鈥渉e has wronged the people of his state鈥� and saying Trump was visiting to pressure Newsom and other officials 鈥渢o do right by their citizens.鈥�
Trump said Los Angeles residents who lost their homes should be able to get back onto their properties immediately to clear them, adding several told him it will be months before they can rebuild.
Mayor Karen Bass said residents should be able to return home within the week, but keeping people safe from hazardous materials is a top priority. She said the city was easing the process to get permits, but she was repeatedly interrupted by Trump as she tried to explain the city's efforts. He downplayed the concerns about toxins, saying: 鈥淲hat's hazardous waste? We're going to have to define that.鈥�
Trump has a long history of minimizing the risks of asbestos. In his 1997 book, 鈥淭he Art of the Comeback,鈥� Trump called asbestos 鈥渢he greatest fireproofing material ever used鈥� and 鈥�100% safe, once applied,鈥� and claimed the movement against the insulator was led by the mob, 鈥渂ecause it was often mob-related companies that would do the asbestos removal.鈥�
Before flying to California, Trump reiterated that he wants to extract concessions from the Democratic-led state in return for disaster assistance, including changes to water policies and requirements that voters need to show identification when casting ballots.
Beyond Trump鈥檚 criticism of FEMA, he鈥檚 suggested limiting the federal government鈥檚 role in responding to disasters, echoing comments from conservative allies who have proposed reducing funding and responsibility.
鈥淚鈥檇 like to see the states take care of disasters,鈥� he said in North Carolina. 鈥淟et the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen.鈥�
Trump said Michael Whatley, a North Carolina native and chair of the Republican National Committee, would help coordinate recovery efforts in the state, where frustrations over the federal response have lingered. Although Whatley does not hold an official government position, Trump said he would be 鈥渧ery much in charge.鈥�
to disasters when local leaders request a presidential emergency declaration, a signal that the damage is beyond the state's ability to handle on its own. FEMA can reimburse governments for recovery efforts such as debris removal, and it gives stopgap financial assistance to individual residents.
Trump former President for his administration鈥檚 response to Helene in North Carolina. As he left the White House on Friday morning, he told reporters that 鈥渋t鈥檚 been a horrible thing the way that鈥檚 been allowed to fester鈥� since the storm hit in September, and 鈥渨e鈥檙e going to get it fixed up.鈥�
In a small town in western North Carolina, residents told Trump about wading through waist-deep water to escape from their homes while fearing for their lives. Some have battled with insurance companies to get their losses covered.
鈥淲e鈥檝e come to North Carolina with a simple message," Trump said. 鈥淵ou are not forgotten any longer. You were treated very badly by the previous administration.鈥�
FEMA has distributed $319 million in financial assistance to residents, but that hasn't alleviated the feeling of abandonment among residents who are struggling to rebuild their lives.
Trump has showered California leaders with disdain for water policies that worsened the recent blazes. He said he would 鈥渢ake a look at a fire that could have been put out if they let the water flow, but they didn鈥檛 let the water flow.鈥� In Los Angeles, he met with members of Congress and local officials from both parties in a meeting that was at times
Michael Coen, who served as chief of staff at FEMA during the Biden administration, said Trump was 鈥渕isinformed鈥� about an agency that provides critical help to states when they are overwhelmed by catastrophe.
In addition, Coen criticized the idea of attaching strings to assistance. "I think the American people expect the federal government will be there for them on their worst day, no matter where they live,鈥� he said.
Trump tapped Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL with limited experience managing natural disasters, as FEMA鈥檚 acting director.
Friday's trip could prompt some uncomfortable conversations about climate change, which Trump has played down and denied. Both Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires were exacerbated by global warming.
In Helene鈥檚 case, a study by international climate scientists at World Weather Attribution found that climate change In California, the state suffered 鈥� its traditional wet season 鈥� which made the area around Los Angeles more vulnerable to blazes.
鈥淭his is just breaking our comfort zone of what is supposed to be normal,鈥� said University of Oregon researcher Amanda Stasiewicz.
After visiting North Carolina and California, Trump plans to hold a rally Saturday in Las Vegas.
___ Associated Press writers Stephen Groves, Seth Borenstein, Jonathan J. Cooper, Kathleen Ronayne and Jill Colvin contributed to this report.
Will Weissert, Chris Megerian And Makiya Seminera, The Associated Press
