FEMA employees warn about risks due to Trump administration actions

• More than 180 FEMA employees signed a letter to Congress.
• They are observing a reduction in status and a decrease in the agency's capabilities.
• They demand the transformation of FEMA into an independent agency.

More than 180 current and former employees of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published an open letter to Congress, in which they warn about the risks associated with the actions of the Trump administration. The letter was made public on August 25, 2025, during the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, which resulted in the deaths of over 1,800 people.

In the document, the employees state that the reduction in funding and deterioration in management at FEMA could lead to catastrophic consequences, similar to those that occurred during Katrina. They point to diminished agency capabilities to perform its mission, including the liquidation of preparedness and risk management programs.

The letter also includes a demand for Congress to transform FEMA into an independent agency that would not be subject to political interference from the Department of Homeland Security. The employees indicate that the previous workers of the agency left due to the loss of important knowledge and experience.

Some agency employees call for greater transparency in employment and policies related to the agency. They believe that it is necessary to protect employees from politically motivated firings.

Representatives of the Trump administration responded to the accusations, asserting that their reforms are aimed at improving the agency's effectiveness, which, in their view, had long suffered from bureaucracy and inefficiency.

Tags: USA/Politics