Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told Newsmax on Friday that she agrees with President Donald Trump's idea to return the Federal Emergency Management Agency's power back to state governors to ensure quicker help.
Trump said Friday while touring the Asheville, North Carolina, area that he is considering "getting rid of FEMA" because the disaster response agency has been "a very big disappointment" after Hurricane Helene.
Trump said he was looking at signing an executive order on FEMA in the coming days.
"I'd like to see the states take care of disasters," Trump said. "Let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen."
"This is something he is doing, whether it's education, health care, welfare benefits or FEMA," Blackburn said on "Newsline." "Let's send that power back to the governors because it is your state and local government, that is closest to the people, that is going to work best. And we know that. That is a conservative principle, and it is something that has served our nation well."
As in western North Carolina, the eastern part of Blackburn's home state of Tennessee was hard hit during the hurricane that brought catastrophic flooding.
"We saw firsthand how it was not FEMA that was first on the ground," Blackburn said. "It was your local emergency response that was there first, followed by your state emergency response."
In his comments on Friday, Trump also cited FEMA's response rate as a reason he is considering doing away with the agency.
"It's very bureaucratic," he said. "And it's very slow. Other than that, we're very happy with them."
Blackburn also commented on the nomination of Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary, saying despite recent reports that Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, plan to vote against him, "Hegseth has the votes."
"We will confirm him this evening," Blackburn said. "He will be the next secretary of Defense for the United States of America."
Nicole Weatherholtz ✉
Nicole Weatherholtz, a Newsmax general assignment reporter covers news, politics, and culture. She is a National Newspaper Association award-winning journalist.
© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.