President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Monday that prioritizes state and local control in disaster response, creating the National Resilience Strategy to improve preparedness and infrastructure resilience.

By yourNEWS Media Newsroom

President Donald Trump will sign an executive order Monday that shifts disaster preparedness and response from federal oversight to state and local control, a move intended to streamline emergency response efforts and improve infrastructure resilience Fox News reported.

The order will establish the National Resilience Strategy, which outlines priorities, risk assessments, and strategic investments to enhance the nation’s ability to withstand disasters. According to details obtained by Fox News, the strategy will emphasize “resilience and action over mere information sharing,” moving away from the federal government’s previous “all-hazards” approach.

“This Order restores state, local, and individual empowerment in disaster preparedness and response and injects common sense into infrastructure prioritization,” the executive order states.

The order calls for a review of all federal policies related to infrastructure and disaster preparedness to align them with the new strategy, ensuring that local communities can work directly with Washington without bureaucratic delays.

Trump’s Criticism of FEMA and Past Federal Disaster Responses

The executive order comes after Trump criticized FEMA for its handling of natural disasters under the Biden administration. In a post-inauguration interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity, Trump stated, “FEMA has not done their job for the last four years” and suggested that states should take greater responsibility for their own disaster relief efforts.

FEMA was widely condemned in 2024 after Hurricane Helene devastated North Carolina, leaving over 100 dead and entire communities destroyed. The agency, along with the Biden administration, faced intense backlash over its emergency response, with Trump accusing officials of obstructing relief efforts in Republican-led areas.

To address FEMA’s operational failures, Trump signed an executive order in January establishing the FEMA Review Council to overhaul the agency’s disaster relief process. That order stated:

“Despite obligating nearly $30 billion in disaster aid each of the past three years, FEMA has managed to leave vulnerable Americans without the resources or support they need when they need it most.”

The order also referenced allegations of political bias within FEMA, citing a former responder who claimed FEMA managers avoided helping Trump supporters during past disaster responses.

California Wildfires and Trump’s Water Infrastructure Order

Trump has also blamed left-wing policies for worsening disaster response, particularly in California. He has repeatedly criticized Governor Gavin Newsom’s refusal to approve water restoration measures that could have mitigated wildfire destruction.

During the January wildfires that engulfed Los Angeles, Trump posted on Truth Social:

“Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way.”

In response, Trump signed an executive order on January 24, which provided additional water resources to California to aid in disaster response.

A Shift in Federal Disaster Policy

The new executive order Trump will sign on Monday is another step in his effort to decentralize federal control, putting states and local governments in charge of handling catastrophes. It continues his broader policy initiative of “shifting power from Washington to the American people,” aligning with his January FEMA Review Council order and California water directive.

As Trump continues reshaping federal disaster policy, the National Resilience Strategy is expected to reshape how America prepares for and responds to natural disasters, while ensuring infrastructure investments prioritize long-term resilience.