Current and former staff at the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) have expressed relief at the firing of Kristi Noem as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), saying her leadership left the country less able to respond to disasters.
During her one-year tenure, Noem imposed strict spending controls, requiring personal approval for any agency expenditure over $100,000. This policy delayed the deployment of rescue crews during deadly floods in Texas last summer, with first responders reportedly unable to pre-position teams or attend emergency calls.
One Fema official described Noem as a 'singularly destructive force' whose incompetence would be felt for years. Another manager said staff celebrated her dismissal with high fives. Noem had also floated the idea of eliminating Fema entirely, shifting disaster recovery to states.
Under Noem, Fema faced dramatic funding and staffing cuts, and billions in disaster reimbursements were postponed. Critics say her micromanagement eroded the agency's capability and withheld critical funds from communities.
Former Fema chief of staff Michael Coen stated bluntly: 'Kristi Noem failed.' Craig Fugate, who led Fema from 2009 to 2017, simply said: 'Change is good.'
Noem's successor, Senator Markwayne Mullin, has been appointed by Donald Trump, but Fema staff are uncertain whether his leadership will be an improvement.
