CAC’s Margie Alt on Trump Administration’s Plan to Withhold FEMA Disaster Assistance to States
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 21, 2026
Contact: Gabrielle Levy, glevy@cacampaign.org, (562) 673-6974
CAC’s Margie Alt on Trump Administration’s Plan to Withhold FEMA Disaster Assistance to States
WASHINGTON – Margie Alt, Director of the Climate Action Campaign, released the following statement in response to reports that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) administrator Cameron Hamilton is moving forward with a scheme to shift disaster response and recovery responsibilities to states, abandoning the role and responsibility of the federal agency he runs:
“The Trump administration is about to make disaster recovery far more expensive for states, and for all Americans, with its plan to pull back federal disaster assistance.
“FEMA was created to protect Americans and help them rebuild when disasters strike. As climate change makes these disasters more frequent and more damaging, it’s more essential than ever. But now, the agency built to shield communities from catastrophe is engineering a disaster of its own, cutting off vital federal lifelines just when states need them most. This scheme will simply shift the costs of climate disasters and extreme weather onto families already being crushed by higher prices for everything from gasoline to groceries.
“The man in charge is no accident, but is a disaster. In 2025, Cameron Hamilton was fired for saying America needs FEMA. In 2026, he got his job back. He didn’t return to lead the agency. He returned to hollow it out.
“Haven’t we had enough of this nonsense?”
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About the Climate Action Campaign
Climate Action Campaign (CAC) is a vibrant coalition driving ambitious, durable, equitable federal action to tackle the climate crisis. By cutting carbon pollution and accelerating the transition to clean energy, we will improve public health and create a more resilient economy and a more sustainable future for all.
