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RICHMOND, Virginia - The United States has suffered a record run of hurricanes, wildfires and storms this past year, including the recent Texas floods, shining a renewed spotlight on the federal department that is tasked with handling ever more natural disasters.

President Donald Trump issued an executive order dated Jan. 24 calling for a review of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), which is challenged by disasters that strike more frequently and powerfully in a fast-changing climate.

Trump has even said he might like to see FEMA .

The ensuing FEMA Review Council in July held its second public meeting as it works on recommendations.

"(FEMA) has been slow to respond at the federal level – it's even been slower to get the resources to Americans in crisis, and that is why this entire agency needs to be eliminated as it exists today and remade into a responsive agency," Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said at the meeting.

Trump signed an executive order on March 18 that seeks to shift responsibility for disaster preparations to state and local governments.

Such a move would drastically overhaul the role of federal government in disaster preparation, emergency relief and reconstruction.

A coalition of 20 states in July sued the Trump administration after that it would end a key initiative boosting local efforts to reduce disaster risk, known as the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities Program.

The states are arguing that FEMA does not have the authority to after Congress approved its funding.

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) advocacy group estimates the Trump administration's move will eliminate $3.6 billion in funding.

Here's what to know about Trump and FEMA:

What does the executive order say?   

The order , co-chaired by the secretaries of homeland security and defence, to advise the president on "changes related to FEMA to best serve the national interest".

A report is due within 180 days of its first public meeting.

The order also raises "serious concerns of political bias" at FEMA and says it has lost "mission focus".

The agency has 10 regional offices and more than 20,000 staff.

It received $29 billion from Congress in December to fund ongoing relief efforts.

Trump cannot unilaterally end FEMA via executive order; getting rid of the agency would instead need an act of Congress.

What has Trump said about FEMA?

"FEMA has turned out to be a disaster," Trump said of a North Carolina neighbourhood destroyed by September's Hurricane Helene. "I think we recommend that FEMA go away."

In the Los Angeles area, devastated by fire, he said: ". You need a good state government."

What might happen if FEMA shut up shop?

Climate change fuels ever more billion-dollar disasters, residents, states and localities could be forced to cope solo in the run-up to and aftermath of any danger, experts say.

"If we abolish federal funding for disaster assistance, municipalities and states wouldn't be able to cover these types of catastrophic emergencies and people would be left to fend on their own," said Shana Udvardy, an analyst at the Union of Concerned Scientists advocacy group.

Beyond disaster response, FEMA also helps states prepare for disasters - work the public might not be aware of, said Rob Moore with the NRDC.

"There's all kinds of other things that happen in the background we don't see," he said.

Other experts said FEMA played a vital role, if hampered by inefficiencies that were also worth examining.

FEMA's reputation has struggled to recover after its poor handling of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

"There is certainly opportunity to reposition FEMA as an independent agency and remove inefficiencies that come from being housed under the Department of Homeland Security," said Tom Kiernan, who runs American Rivers, an advocacy group.

What else could be affected without FEMA?

FEMA administers the (NFIP), which had close to 4.7 million policies providing almost $1.3 trillion in coverage as of the end of 2024.

FEMA also sets national standards for building codes and standards in floodplains, and its flood risk mapping helps guide construction countrywide, Moore noted.

"FEMA has an even larger role on flood disasters than it does elsewhere," he said.

States already request help from FEMA when disasters stretch agencies beyond their ability to respond, Moore said.

"I haven't heard a lot of states clamouring for FEMA to leave them alone and not come to their assistance. Maybe I've missed those stories," he said.

This article was updated on July 18, 2025 to include the latest developments.

(Reporting by David Sherfinski and Carey L. Biron; Editing by Lyndsay Griffiths, Anastasia Moloney, and Ana Nicolaci da Costa.)