As hurricane season bears down on the United States, a troubling layer of uncertainty looms over the disaster response system due to a communication breakdown within the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Officials nationwide have reported increased frustrations, stating that they have been effectively ‘ghosted’ by the agency regarding vital emergency preparedness funding. Robert Wike Graham, deputy director of Charlotte-Mecklenburg Emergency Management in North Carolina, expressed, “We’ve been ghosted by FEMA,” highlighting the repeated unanswered requests for critical information.
The situation is echoed in Wyoming, where over 90% of the state’s emergency management budget depends on federal funds. Officials there lament the lack of clarity from FEMA, attributing rising anxieties to the continuous flow of rumors amidst an information vacuum. Lynn Budd, Wyoming’s Homeland Security Director, shared that while regional FEMA staff are eager to assist, directives to limit information sharing impose significant frustrations.
Internal memos disclosed to CNN indicate that top FEMA officials have mandated that all communications with the White House’s Office of Management and Budget and National Security Council be channeled through FEMA’s acting administrator. This directive appears to stifle essential information flow, causing delays in federal funding distributions that communities rely on for disaster preparedness.
The assigned communication restrictions coincide with new management under Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has been consolidating authority over FEMA since President Donald Trump resumed office as the 47th President. Notably, Trump’s administration announced plans to phase out FEMA’s current structure post-hurricane season, transitioning disaster management responsibilities back to the states.
These shifts within FEMA come amidst alarming internal reviews that warn of an agency not fully prepared for the ongoing hurricane season. As critical funding applications remain unopened, local emergency management departments face layoffs, further endangering state-level disaster response capabilities.
Many emergency management leaders and local officials have voiced their unease, asserting that the shutdown of communication channels jeopardizes not only their operations but also the safety of communities across the nation. As one longtime FEMA official put it, “It eliminates transparency.” With Congress raising alarms over FEMA’s unresponsiveness under Trump’s administration, state leaders await answers that may dictate the effectiveness of upcoming emergency responses.
In conclusion, as the 2025 hurricane season kicks off, the lack of clear guidance, funds, and open lines of communication from FEMA under Trump’s leadership could pose serious risks to both disaster preparedness and recovery efforts across the country.