Here’s what to know about FEMA as Trump talks of overhaul

President Donald Trump this week said he wants to reshape the Federal Emergency Management Agency as the U.S. faces the daunting task of rebuilding after storm damage in the Southeast and devastating wildfires in California.

FEMA is tasked with helping states and communities impacted by disasters from floods and fires to drought, earthquakes, tornadoes and hurricanes.

Trump criticized the agency after Hurricane Helene hit in the fall during the homestretch of the election year, questioning its response and spreading false information that its funding was going to migrants or foreign wars.

At the time, the Biden administration defended FEMA’s work. And Congress last year replenished the federal disaster aid fund by $100 billion as part of a massive year-end appropriations bill signed into law by President Joe Biden.

But California fire damages are expected to total among the most expensive disasters in the nation’s history. The state has already set aside $2.5 billion for recovery.

Trump this week spoke with congressional Republican leaders about whether FEMA should continue providing help to states in the same way, according to a person familiar with the conversation and granted anonymity to discuss it.

In an interview on Fox News this week, Trump said “FEMA is getting in the way of everything,” and suggested that he would withhold assistance from California. Congressional Democrats have sharply criticized the president’s threats to withhold federal disaster aid.

Conservatives have previously suggested reducing the amount that states are reimbursed for preventing and responding to the disasters.

Misperceptions are abundant about FEMA’s role in disaster recovery, what it does — and does not — pay for and what residents in impacted areas can expect.

Here’s what to know:

What does FEMA do and where does its money come from?

FEMA has an operating budget and a disaster relief fund. The fund gets replenished every year by Congress and is used to pay for disaster recovery. FEMA also pays for rebuilding from past disasters and for projects designed to protect communities against future calamity.

The fund is basically the country’s checkbook for emergencies. The government uses it to reimburse states and local governments for activities like removing debris, rebuilding roads or for firefighter overtime costs.

It also includes money for residents, ranging from $750 individual payments for emergency needs to $42,500 for some uninsured homeowners to rebuild.

The federal government doesn’t help with every disaster — it generally has to be above the ability of a community or state to handle. A governor or tribal authority in that case asks the president for an emergency declaration.

When there is warning — as with hurricanes — FEMA coordinates with state and local governments about needs and can pre-position supplies like water or tarps in areas likely to be most affected. FEMA also has its own search-and-rescue teams to dispatch.

Experts stress that the federal agency isn’t in charge of the entire recovery process.

“Everybody thinks that FEMA just comes in right after the disaster and starts managing the entire disaster. And that’s just not the case,” said Brock Long, who was FEMA administrator from 2017 to 2019.

Does FEMA have enough money for disasters?

Trump has accused FEMA of spending all its money to help immigrants who are in the country illegally. But this claim is misleading.

The agency administers the Shelter and Services Program, which gives money to reimburse cities, towns or organizations for immigration-related expenses. But that comes from a separate pot of money funded by Congress for Customs and Border Protection. FEMA gives out the money, but it doesn’t come from the disaster relief fund.

There are long-term funding concerns for FEMA, however.

It hasn’t been uncommon for the agency to make what’s called a “supplemental” funding request to Congress to pay for disaster recovery.

A 2022 Congressional Budget Office report said most of the money that goes to the disaster relief fund actually comes in these supplemental requests. Extra money that’s needed varies depending on the disaster, but the report noted that “a small number of those disasters account for a disproportionate share of total spending.”

What happens when the disaster fund runs low?

The disaster assistance fund sometimes runs low in late summer before Congress passes a new budget. When that happens, FEMA shifts to what’s called “immediate needs funding.” That means the agency stops paying out for previous disasters and conserves its money for life-saving missions during any active ones.

When the disaster relief fund is replenished, then money again flows to longer-term projects.

“Honestly, there’s a lot of work that needs to be done to streamline it and rethink, ’How can a disaster relief fund … be set up in a manner where the FEMA administrator is not constantly having to ask for supplemental funding?” Brock Long, who was FEMA administrator from 2017 to 2019, said previously.

Will FEMA give people enough money to rebuild their homes?

No. It’s important to know not just what FEMA does — but what it doesn’t do, especially for individual people.

One claim floating around after Hurricane Helene is that disaster survivors only get $750 from FEMA. That figure refers to help that the agency can give someone in an affected area for immediate needs like clothing or food.

The agency can also provide more money for a storage unit, medical bills or rental assistance depending on the situation.

The first line of defense for homeowners is insurance. People who don’t have insurance or not enough coverage can turn to FEMA, but the maximum amount someone can get to rebuild is $42,500. That’s a far cry from what is needed to fix severe damage or to completely rebuild.

“This is one of the kind of major problems FEMA has in terms of how the public understands their role and responsibility,” said Samantha L. Montano, an assistant professor of emergency management at the Massachusetts Maritime Academy. “FEMA does not make anybody whole after a disaster happens. They are not going to give you enough money to completely recover your life.”

The Associated Press