Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem is facing strong criticism over her management of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) during the recent Texas Hill Country flooding crisis that occurred in early July.
The controversy centers around two major issues: Noem’s policy requiring her personal approval for FEMA expenditures over $100,000, and the agency’s decision to lay off hundreds of call center contractors during the height of the emergency response.
According to Politico, The situation became particularly concerning when FEMA’s response rate to emergency calls dropped dramatically. After maintaining a near-perfect response rate of over 99 percent, the agency’s performance plummeted to just 35.8 percent and then to 15.9 percent in the two days following the contractor layoffs on July 5.
Problems with contract renewals led to delayed emergency response
According to a New York Times report, it took Noem five days to renew the essential call center contracts after they lapsed, leaving many Texans without access to emergency assistance during a critical period. This delay has been cited by experts as a significant factor in hampering the disaster response efforts.
Noem has strongly defended her leadership and the agency’s performance, dismissing criticism as politically motivated. Her defensive stance aligns with the Trump administration’s broader pattern of avoiding accountability for disaster response failures. “It’s discouraging that during this time when we have such a loss of life, and so many people’s lives have turned upside down, that people are playing politics with this,” she told NBC’s Kristen Welker during an interview on “Meet the Press.”
The former South Dakota governor maintains that the federal government’s response was immediate and effective, specifically praising President Trump’s handling of the situation. She has also challenged the accuracy of the New York Times report, calling for anonymous sources to identify themselves publicly.
The controversy comes at a crucial time for FEMA’s future. President Trump has previously suggested eliminating the agency and has cut billions in disaster preparedness funding, even as the scale of destruction from the Texas floods becomes increasingly clear. While Trump has praised FEMA’s efforts in the Texas floods, Noem indicated that the president wants to remake the agency rather than maintain its current structure.
The scrutiny of FEMA’s performance under Noem’s leadership continues to grow as more details emerge about the agency’s response to the Texas flooding crisis. With lives lost and communities devastated, the debate over FEMA’s effectiveness and future remains a critical issue in national emergency management.
Published: Jul 14, 2025 09:25 am