In a move that has raised eyebrows and stirred debate, Donald Trump has appointed Karen Evans as the new head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Dubbed ‘The Terminator,’ Evans is known for her tough stance on cutting down government waste, a reputation she garnered during her previous roles, including as FEMA’s chief of staff and a cybersecurity official. This appointment marks the third leadership change at FEMA within the year, following the resignation of David Richardson, who faced criticism over the agency’s handling of the Texas floods.

Evans’ approach has been characterized by former colleagues as both ruthless and efficient. A former senior official noted that her nickname stemmed from her penchant for terminating grants, contracts, and even personnel. Another former official described her as an enforcer for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), whose focus was on halting unnecessary expenditures and aligning agency activities with the administration’s priorities. While some commend her for streamlining operations and reducing waste, others warn that her rigorous methods can lead to unintended disruptions. Reports suggest that Evans would meticulously scrutinize proposals, sometimes without a full understanding of their implications.

FEMA’s operations have also been closely monitored by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has mandated personal approval for any expenditure exceeding $100,000. This policy faced backlash during the response to the catastrophic Texas floods. Additionally, Evans has been criticized by liberal groups for allegedly curbing funding to Muslim organizations, an accusation that has added to the controversy surrounding her appointment. According to a senior FEMA official, navigating the process of securing grants and aid has become increasingly delicate under Evans’ leadership. Officials reportedly had to couch funding requests in deferential language to avoid coming across as confrontational.

Trump appointed a 12-member review council led by Noem and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to deliver recommendations on how to reform FEMA and push more responsibility to the states for disaster preparedness, response and recovery. The council is expected to deliver its recommendations in December but some say Evans’ hiring is just to have a puppet in place for the administration to do what it wants. ‘Karen doesn’t have any real power. Karen is there to do whatever she’s told,’ an ex-senior official said. Noem has long been a critic of FEMA and has even said she wants to ‘clean house’ and give more disaster relief power to the states. The Daily Mail has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security for comment.

The agency has undergone major upheaval since Trump returned to office in January promising to vastly overhaul if not eliminate the agency. About 18 percent of the agency´s permanent full-time employees had departed as of June, including 24 senior-level staffers, according to the Government Accountability Office. The Trump administration also has slashed mitigation funding, placed requirements on preparedness grants that compel recipients to comply with Trump´s immigration agenda, and denied several states´ requests for major disaster declaration requests.

Evans takes over for David Richardson, who in his brief term remained largely out of public sight, is leaving the post after he faced a wave of criticism for his handling of the deadly Texas floods earlier this year. He replaced previous acting head Cameron Hamilton in May. ‘The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security extend their sincere appreciation to the Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Administrator, David Richardson, for his dedicated service and wish him continued success in his return to the private sector,’ a DHS spokesperson said.