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ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (WFLA) — President Donald Trump announced his intention to disband FEMA after the 2025 hurricane season, transitioning the responsibility for natural disaster recovery to individual states.
The president also said the federal government will distribute less aid, and it will come directly from his office.
“We want to wean off of FEMA, and we want to bring it down from the state level,” he said.
President Trump explained that people can expect that transition after hurricane season.
In the meantime, he said, there will be cuts.
“We’re going to give out less money,” the president said. “We’re going to give it out directly.”
“As an example, I just gave out $71 million to a certain state,” he continued. “They were looking to do $120 million.”
“They were very happy with the $71 million,” President Trump continued.
Cody McGehe lives in Shore Acres.
He, like many others in his St. Petersburg community, had his home flood this past hurricane season.
He got money from FEMA to help rebuild.
But with uncertainty surrounding how this transition back to the states would look, McGehe worries he may be forced to foot the bill.
“It will probably result in some kind of tax increase, which is usually the case, right?” he remarked. “It’s uncertain if this will lead to higher property insurance premiums or an increase in homeowners’ insurance to make up for the change, but it’s likely we will bear the cost.”
“It always does,” he continued. “There’s no way it doesn’t.”
Shore Acres Civic Association President Kevin Batdorf sent the following statement to 8 On Your Side:
“I’m interested in hearing more about these proposed changes. Will it also get rid of the cumbersome FEMA regulations that local governments often blame for the mismanagement of permitting and rebuilding processes? Allowing states to handle emergency services and providing the corresponding funding could make these services more responsive. This shift should also reduce bureaucratic delays. The “Elevate Florida” initiative showcases how states can reduce a process that takes 3-4 years to just 18 months, and eventually down to one year. I don’t think NFIP will be impacted since it operates as a separate division within FEMA. However, this is an opportune moment to mandate a ‘Natural Disaster’ rider on property insurance policies nationwide.”
Kevin Batdorf, Shore Acres Civic Association
So what does Gov. Ron DeSantis think about federal money coming directly to the states?
“If you just calculated, typical hurricane, how much? And you gave us 80 cents on the dollar on that but cut out the bureaucracy, I bet that money would actually go further,” he said.
His message to President Trump?
“Send us the money,” he said. “Send us the money and let us administer it.”
