Three Big Questions Facing FEMA With Kristi Noem Out
The Department of Homeland Security oversees the nation’s main disaster response agency, which has undergone turmoil under Noem.
Kristi Noem speaks at Federal Emergency Management Agency headquarters in January.
Photographer: Valerie Plesch/BloombergPresident Donald Trump ousted Kristi Noem as head of the Department of Homeland Security, a move announced Thursday that will also have major implications for the nation’s top disaster agency.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which falls under DHS, has been at the center of numerous controversies under Noem’s leadership. They include delays in disaster response and recovery efforts nationwide, the cutting of popular preparedness programs, and putting whistleblowers on administrative leave. At times, Noem has advocated for abolishing or eliminating the agency in its current form — a position Trump once promoted.