The Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema), which DHS oversees, coordinates federal response efforts to disasters such as hurricanes, floods and wildfires. “I’m not a micromanager.”Throughout Trump’s second term so far, the Senate has not confirmed a leader for Fema. In response to inquiries from the New Jersey senator Andy Kim, Mullin said he would find a qualified head for the agency. Like Noem, Mullin has also suggested that US states should lead disaster response rather than the federal agency, even publicly questioning if Fema should have any role in disaster preparedness. On Wednesday, he said that the federal agency “was never designed to be the first responder”.

Source: The Guardian March 19, 2026 01:13 UTC