Trump calls for shutting down FEMA even as red states collect top funds

Trump supporters could end up hurt the worst

President Donald Trump speaks to homeowners hit by Hurricane Helene Friday in Swannanoa, North Carolina even as he floats abolishing the relief disaster agency FEMA (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

A key population harmed by Donald Trump’s proposed shutdown of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would be Americans living in “tornado alley” in the central U.S. and the flood and hurricane states of the southeast, which include a huge percentage of the president’s MAGA supporters.

Three red states — Texas, Louisiana and Florida — collected the most funds from 2015 to August 2024 from FEMA’s Individuals and Households Program, according to data from the Carnegie Disaster Dollar Database. IHP provides “financial and direct services to eligible individuals and households affected by a disaster.”

Texas residents have received $2.3 billion. Louisiana residents collected$2.4 billion, and Florida residents received $2.5 billion.

Each of those states voted for Trump in November.

President Donald Trump speaks to homeowners hit by Hurricane Helene Friday in Swannanoa, North Carolina even as he floats abolishing the relief disaster agency FEMA. (Mark Schiefelbein/AP)

Though the president initially pushed on Thursday the idea of abolishing FEMA as southern California was battling historic fires (and he said: “I don’t think we should give California anything”), it’s the red states that often suffer frequently from ravaging hurricanes, tornadoes and flooding.

Visiting North Carolina Friday, where communities were slammed by Hurricane Helene just last September, the Republican president casually noted: “I think we’re going to recommend that FEMA go away,” and suggested states take on the massive task of climbing back alone from disaster.

Michael Steele, former chair of the Republican National Committee, asked red states Saturday on MSNBC’s The Weekend how they were going to foot the bill.

“Ya’ll going to be prepared to just have the federal government just go away in terms of its response and leave it to you?” he asked after naming Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Iowa.

“How are they going to pay for it?” he asked, adding: “This is what they voted for.”