US President Donald Trump attacked the Federal Emergency Management Agency, known as FEMA, threatening to completely dismantle the organization.
Friday, during a visit to the North Carolina ravaged by the hurricane, Trump announced that he would sign a decree “to start the process of reform and fundamentally revision of FEMA – or perhaps get rid of the fema ”.
Instead of the agency, the Republican suggested moving the burden of disaster management to states.
“When there is a problem with the state, I think this problem should be taken care of by the state,” Trump said at the press conference on Friday.
“This is why we have states. They take care of the problems. And a governor can manage something very quickly, you know?
Trump was blurred about the chronology of his changes offered at FEMA, despite the repeated questions of journalists.
But Friday’s remarks continue to make history of attacks on the agency, as well as its predecessor, former Democratic president Joe Biden, following Hurricane Helene.
On September 26, the powerful category 4 storm struck the Big Bend region in Florida. But even after marked the landing, he continued to plow north, producing destruction in certain parts of Georgia, North Carolina and Tennessee.
In total, more than 200 people were killed, because the hurricane brought record precipitation, floods and tornadoes, leaving places like Asheville, North Carolina, flattened.
North Carolina was one of the seven key swing states in the 2024 elections that Trump finally won.
While campaigning in the days and weeks following the disaster, Trump has spread a disinformation on the response in the event of a disaster led by Biden, including that federal workers in rescue had refused to serve republican residents – A false affirmation.
FEMA reported later that threats had been made to its staff, hampering an operation to verify the well-being of door-to-door in the west of the North Carolina. And the president of the time, Biden denounced disinformation as “non -American”.
“Former President Trump led this attack on lies,” he said in October.
But Trump continued to hammer his assertions that the response to disasters in North Carolina was at best inadequate, including with a reference in his inaugural speech on Monday.
On Friday, he again launched in criticism from FEMA and Biden, blaming them both for the slow rhythm of recovery.
“Fema was a very great disappointment. And they cost a lot of money. It is very bureaucratic. And it’s very slow, “said Trump at some point.
To another, he was unleashed against his Democratic predecessor: “Biden did bad job. Some residents do not have hot water, drinking water or anything else. Many of them have no neighborhoods. They have nothing.
He also teased his trip later in the day to the south of California, where forest fires continue to destroy the areas in Los Angeles and the surrounding area, in the middle of dry conditions.
He stressed that he would place conditions on disaster aid to the State led by Democrats, in particular that California implements a law on the identification of voters.
While Trump said that such measures were necessary to prevent electoral fraud – a favorite discussion subject – criticism argues that they can increase obstacles to American citizens who could be eligible to vote but cannot afford or access to identity cards.
On the side of the road, while Trump’s procession crossed the west of the North Carolina, a small group of demonstrators had gathered to protest against the repeal of the president of climate change policies. They stressed that the climate crisis is recognized to exacerbate extreme weather events, such as hurricanes and fires.
