Trump Administration Secretly Trying to Repair FEMA After Kristi Noem Gutted Agency and Froze Funds Before Her Firing — 'It Could Take a Decade to Fix'
Kristi Noem was let go as Secretary of Homeland Security in March 2026.
June 1 2026, Published 7:12 p.m. ET
The Trump administration is reportedly trying to repair damage done to the Federal Emergency Management Agency following ex-Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem 's efforts to downsize the department before her abrupt firing, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
FEMA's job is to respond "before, during and after" disasters by helping communities in the U.S. understand risks associated with floods, fires, hurricanes and more, coordinate federal response to emergency situations and provide aid to those affected when they happen.
Fixing FEMA Could Take 'a Decade'
Kristi Noem was reportedly involved in pausing and cutting FEMA funding during her time at Homeland Security.
But under Noem's reign, FEMA funds were reportedly frozen and employees fired, limiting the agency's ability to carry out their mission, according to sources.
The former governor of South Dakota was let go as Homeland Security Secretary on March 5 following intense scrutiny into her leadership, particularly regarding a more than $200million ad campaign she claimed President Donald Trump signed off on and rampant criticism of ICE after the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
However, when it comes to FEMA, a high-ranking official told CNN that it could take "a decade to fix what they broke," claiming the country would be "screwed" if there was a "major disaster" in the near future.
A senior official also called the entire situation "completely dumfounding."
'The Terminator' Hired at FEMA
Karen Evans was appointed as FEMA Deputy Administrator under Kristi Noem's leadership.
During Noem's leadership, Karen Evans was chosen to help run FEMA as Deputy Administrator. She quickly became known as "The Terminator" among FEMA employees as she reportedly made rampant cuts left and right.
"She was terminating grants, terminating contracts, terminating people," a former official told the news network.
Last month, Evans also got the boot and was temporarily replaced with Robert Fenton.
A FEMA spokesperson said at the time, "We are grateful for Ms. Evans’ service and look forward to her continued contributions in this important new role at DHS."
White House Response to FEMA Reports
The White House said Donald Trump will review 'recommendations put forth by the FEMA Review Council.'
When it comes to restoring FEMA to what it once was, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said the POTUS, 79, "looks forward to reviewing the recommendations put forth by the FEMA Review Council," in a statement to the Daily Beast.
"The President remains committed to getting resources to communities in need while also working with states to ensure they invest in their own resilience before disaster strikes, making response less urgent and recovery less prolonged," the statement read.
Kristi Noem Replaced by Markwayne Mullin and Given New Job
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Markwayne Mullin was appointed as Kristi Noem's replacement.
In early March, Trump announced Noem's departure from Homeland Security and confirmed his choice for her replacement.
"I am pleased to announce that the Highly Respected United States Senator from the Great State of Oklahoma, Markwayne Mullin, will become the United States Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS), effective March 31, 2026," he penned via Truth Social.
That same day, Noem took to X and thanked the president for appointing her to her new position as Special Envoy of the Shield of the Americas.
"I look forward to working with them closely to dismantle cartels that have poured drugs into our nation and killed our children and grandchildren," she continued. "The Western Hemisphere is absolutely critical for U.S. security. In this new role, I will be able to build on the partnerships and national security expertise, I forged over the last 13 months as Secretary of Homeland Security."
