Several employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been placed on leave after signing a letter that criticized recent policy changes and leadership appointments at the agency.
The letter, signed by close to 200 current and former FEMA staff, warned of reduced disaster response capabilities ahead of peak hurricane season. Among the signatories, 36 employees attached their names publicly. Those individuals are the ones now facing suspension.
The Trump administration responded by saying "change is always hard," and added, "It is not surprising that some of the same bureaucrats who presided over decades of inefficiency are now objecting to reform."
The suspensions come as the nation marks 20 years since Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, killing more than 1,800 people and causing more than $100 billion in damages. Katrina was widely seen as a dark chapter for FEMA, which was criticized for being unprepared and slow to respond.
Former New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu, a Democrat, said recent staffing cuts and policy shifts — including fewer levee inspections — have left his city more vulnerable. “The lessons that we learned are being completely undermined by the Trump administration,” Landrieu said.
The Trump administration has defended its handling of FEMA, pointing to disaster responses such as the Texas floods, and has floated changes to the agency’s role. In June, administration officials suggested phasing out FEMA in its current form and shifting responsibilities to state governments. President Donald Trump later praised the agency’s current leadership as “good people.”
Former FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who served during the Biden administration, expressed concern about the agency’s future, citing a lack of seasoned emergency management professionals in leadership roles.
The letter from FEMA staffers opposes what it calls “the reduction in capability of FEMA to perform its missions.” Current and former employees worry these changes could weaken response efforts during what remains of the hurricane season.
FEMA has already lost about a third of its workforce this year. With September — historically one of the most active months for storms — approaching, critics warn the suspensions further strain the agency at a critical time.
