The Trump administration’s cuts to the Federal Emergency Management Agency are putting the country at risk of being unprepared to respond to massive natural disasters this year, Congress’ watchdog agency warned Tuesday.
“The federal government will likely need to meet its disaster response mission with fewer available resources this year. Should the U.S. experience a similarly catastrophic peak hurricane season in September and October 2025, as it did in 2024, meeting response needs could be a major challenge,” the Government Accountability Office wrote in a new report. The report is the first in a series the GAO expects to release on disaster readiness.
FEMA lost more than 2,400 staff in the first five months of the Trump administration, according to the GAO. Senior career executive service — made up of people who have the most experience managing complex disasters — was only staffed at about 50% as of June 1.