Several states were left without aid for days after the Trump administration failed to notify the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) about signing off on disaster relief, a CNN report revealed.
In April, President Donald Trump approved millions in FEMA funding for Virginia after the state endured devastating winter storms and flooding. Although the approval process typically involves FEMA officials who advise the president on when to provide aid, the agency was not officially notified to distribute funding until four days after Trump's approval made headlines.
A similar incident occurred after Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who served as Trump's press secretary during his first term, personally made her case for FEMA funding to the president after her state was hit with severe storms and tornados that killed more than 40 of her constituents. But FEMA did not learn Trump signed off until five days later.
"A five-day lag is unheard of, as it prevents FEMA from fulfilling its statutory roles," a longtime FEMA official anonymously told CNN. "It feels like a way to make it look like FEMA is being slow when we're not yet authorized to act."
Another FEMA employee warned "people will suffer" if Trump continues to work around FEMA to approve funding. Behind the scenes, his administration is reportedly attempting to make it more difficult to qualify for federal disaster assistance, according to reporting by CNN, to shift responsibility to the states.
David Richardson, the acting FEMA administrator, lacks experience in disaster relief as his background is in the military, but is moving aggressively to align the agency with Trump's agenda. At his first all-hands meeting, he reminded staff pointedly said that "FEMA is part of the Department of Homeland Security.
"I, and I alone, speak for FEMA. I am the president's representative at FEMA, and I am here to carry out President Trump's intent," Richardson warned.
Agency officials further warned FEMA is understaffed and underprepared as the nation enters an above-average hurricane season.
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