Sarah, Trump doesn't care about you or the folks in Arkansas.
By Blake Burman/The Hill
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) has been in the news the last few days as her state is asking her former boss, President Trump, for a major disaster declaration, which initially was denied by the administration.
The headlines come as Trump and his Homeland Security secretary have raised the idea of eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency and putting more control into the hands of state governments. Former FEMA director Michael Brown, who served under former President George W. Bush, said the White House could also be starting to make some moves in this direction.
“The president is trying to balance two things,” Brown told me. “He’s trying to wean the states off FEMA so they’re not just automatically expecting the feds to step in and pay for everything. At the same time, you can’t just cut them off entirely.”
Brown told me he thinks Arkansas will ultimately receive the help. However, the case reveals how difficult potential FEMA reform could be, especially when states are used to leaning on the federal government in crises.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders (R) has been in the news the last few days as her state is asking her former boss, President Trump, for a major disaster declaration, which initially was denied by the administration.
The headlines come as Trump and his Homeland Security secretary have raised the idea of eliminating the Federal Emergency Management Agency and putting more control into the hands of state governments. Former FEMA director Michael Brown, who served under former President George W. Bush, said the White House could also be starting to make some moves in this direction.
“The president is trying to balance two things,” Brown told me. “He’s trying to wean the states off FEMA so they’re not just automatically expecting the feds to step in and pay for everything. At the same time, you can’t just cut them off entirely.”
Brown told me he thinks Arkansas will ultimately receive the help. However, the case reveals how difficult potential FEMA reform could be, especially when states are used to leaning on the federal government in crises.
