FEMA ghosts another Red State after disaster strikes—Now the GOP Senator is begging for help
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced sharp scrutiny today as senators questioned her over the state of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and its effectiveness in responding to the recent wave of destructive storms sweeping through the southern U.S. The hearing highlighted how FEMA—an agency President Donald Trump has openly tried to dismantle—is struggling to manage multiple natural disasters across Republican-led states.
During the Senate Homeland Security Committee hearing, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) took a direct approach, asking Noem how she intended to handle Missouri’s still-pending requests for federal disaster declarations. The state, already devastated by several deadly tornadoes, has yet to receive presidential approval for critical aid. Mississippi, still grappling with the aftermath of extreme weather back in March, is also caught in limbo with stalled disaster relief requests.
“The state has pending three requests for major disaster declarations from earlier storms we’ve lost over a dozen people. Well, actually, if you count the folks we lost just on Friday, we’ve lost almost 20 people now in major storms just in the last two months in Missouri,” Hawley said.
“Will you commit to helping, for those three major disaster declaration requests that are pending, will you expedite those, Secretary Noem, and get those in front of the president, get those approved?” he asked. “We are desperate for the assistance in Missouri.”
Noem responded that she would move swiftly to place the requests before President Trump and agreed to fast-track individual assistance for residents directly affected by the storms in Missouri.
That a high-profile Republican like Hawley is forced to publicly plead with a Republican-led administration for emergency support in a Republican state underscores the level of dysfunction that now defines the federal government’s disaster response under Trump.
Just a day prior, St. Louis Mayor Cara Spencer voiced her own frustrations during an interview with MSNBC, saying, “FEMA has not been on the ground” and that the city does not “have confirmed assistance from FEMA at this point.”
“What we need right now is federal assistance. This is where FEMA and the federal government has got to come in and help communities. Our city cannot shoulder this alone. The state of Missouri cannot shoulder this alone,” Spencer said. “We need partners at the national level, at the federal level, to step up and help — and this is not just true for St. Louis. Cities across the nation, when they are experiencing disasters such as this, this is what the federal government is for.”
In neighboring Arkansas, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders—once Trump’s White House press secretary—sent a letter last month urging the president to reverse FEMA’s denial of emergency disaster relief after tornadoes struck in March. In her letter, Sanders warned that “without the support of a Major Disaster Declaration, Arkansas will face significant challenges in assuming full responsibility and achieving an effective recovery from this event,” and emphasized that “supplemental Federal assistance is crucial” to the recovery effort.
The declaration was ultimately granted on May 13, a full two months after the tornadoes hit and one month following Sanders’ formal appeal to the White House.
Meanwhile, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear appeared on CNN to reflect on a brutal week that saw 19 lives lost in tornadoes across his state. “I’m very concerned about cuts to FEMA or to the National Weather Service,” Beshear said. “But I want to be clear that the actual response on the ground by the Trump administration and Secretary Noem has been good. The way FEMA has treated people has been good. The president has approved each of our applications.”
Despite isolated praise, the broader reality remains troubling. The uneven nature of disaster responses under Trump highlights a pattern of bureaucratic disarray that has left many communities uncertain of when, or if, help will arrive.
Since taking office, Trump’s administration has overseen deep staffing and operational cuts to FEMA as part of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) initiative, created in collaboration with Elon Musk. In March, Noem declared her intention to dismantle FEMA altogether and delegate all emergency management duties to individual states. The chaos peaked earlier this month when acting FEMA head Cameron Hamilton was removed from his role after warning Congress that abolishing the agency would harm public safety. His replacement, retired Marine Officer David Richardson, issued a chilling message to FEMA personnel: “Don’t get in my way … because I will run right over you. I will achieve the president’s intent.”
Today, Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) grilled Noem over how FEMA could possibly fulfill its mission given the administration’s plans to gut its resources and staff.
“You are losing a fifth of the workforce at FEMA. What’s your plan to replace them?” Blumenthal demanded. “How are you going to meet the needs of our constituents?”
Noem deflected, interrupting Blumenthal and placing the blame squarely on the Biden administration, claiming FEMA’s inefficiencies were inherited rather than created.
But with multiple states pleading for assistance, it’s clear where the responsibility lies. The governors and mayors aren’t knocking on Biden’s door—they’re pleading with Trump, the current commander-in-chief, to act.
Sources:
www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/noem-senate-fema-missouri-aid-2025
www.politico.com/news/2025/05/21/trump-fema-hearing-response-00126255
www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/st-louis-mayor-criticizes-fema-response-2025-186352965855
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