Updated January 24, 2025 at 18:38 PM ET
President Trump said on Friday that he plans to sign an executive order to "begin the process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA — or maybe getting rid of FEMA."
Touring parts of North Carolina hit hard by flooding after Hurricane Helene, Trump said he thinks the Federal Emergency Management Agency is too bureaucratic and slow. He suggested that state governments handle disasters within their states.
Precise details about the executive order were not immediately available, and Trump sidestepped questions from reporters about a timeline for his plans.
Gov. Newsom met Trump when he arrived in LA
California Gov. Gavin Newsom met Trump when Air Force One arrived in Los Angeles, and the two leaders spoke briefly before Trump took an aerial tour of the Pacific Palisades neighborhood. Trump was expected to later get a briefing on the wildfires that have ravaged Los Angeles.
Trump and Newsom are political foes, but pulled their punches during brief remarks to reporters. "I appreciate the governor coming out and meeting me," Trump said, noting the impact of the fires on real estate. "It's like you got hit by a bomb, right?"
Newsom thanked Trump for visiting. "We're going to need your support. We're going to need your help," he said. "I have all the expectations that we'll be able to work together to get the speedy recovery."
During their remarks, Trump did not repeat the criticisms of California water management policies that he has been talking about since the disaster began. Newsom has said Trump's claims are false.
Trump has also indicated he sees aid for California as leverage for getting support from Democrats in Congress for some of his legislative priorities.
What Trump promised in North Carolina
Earlier, in Swannanoa, N.C., Trump invited families to talk about the flooding that ruined their homes and their struggles with recovery.
Trump said his administration would surge "housing solutions" to North Carolina and said he would sign an executive order on Friday to lift regulations so that roads can be rebuilt without permits.
Trump has said he feels that North Carolina was treated "unfairly" by the Biden administration after Hurricane Helene, which hit in the middle of the presidential campaign. He has said, without evidence, that Democrats withheld aid from Republican areas.
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