‘I’m relieved she’s gone’: Fema staffers celebrate ousting of Kristi Noem
The Guardian • • nation
Key Points:
- Kristi Noem, former Secretary of Homeland Security, was fired after a year-long tenure criticized for micromanaging and shrinking FEMA, which staff say degraded the agency’s disaster response capabilities.
- Noem imposed strict spending controls requiring her personal approval for expenditures over $100,000, delaying critical emergency responses during events like Texas floods and causing frustration among FEMA officials.
- Under Noem’s leadership, FEMA faced postponed disaster reimbursements, a backlog reaching $17 billion, and efforts to reduce staff, leading to widespread demoralization and damaged relationships with state and local agencies.
- Trump publicly defended Noem despite her firing, reassigning her as Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas, and named Senator Markwayne Mull
