Can he undeclare a state of disaster?
Yes, Trump really did say he has “ordered FEMA to send no more money” – not will order but has ordered.
Whether the president even has the authority to rescind FEMA funding that has already been approved remains unclear. Guidelines for the way federal dollars flow after the president declares a national disaster, [as] he did after devastating wildfires in California this year, are outlined in the Stafford Act, said Rafael Lemaitre, the former director of public affairs for FEMA under the Obama administration.
“I’m not aware of any mechanism where you can say, ‘I’m undeclaring a state of disaster,” Lemaitre said.
Or, probably, of any president who would want to, until now.
Individual assistance dollars help victims find temporary housing, pay for repairs to their homes or help them buy groceries, clothes or new furniture. The window to apply for this aid closes Jan. 31.
It is unknown if Trump’s threat to stop FEMA funding could threaten those still seeking undistributed money.
“FEMA individual assistance is a real lifeline for people in their greatest time of need,” Lemaitre said, “and to use the plight of survivors to push your political agenda is draconian.”
It’s evil, sadistic, cruel, unconscionable, psychopathic.
“It’s absolutely shocking for President Trump to suggest he would deny disaster assistance to communities destroyed by wildfire,” Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said in a statement. “Attacking victims is yet another low for this president.”
And to do it apropos of nothing, in a fit of petulant narcissistic rage – it’s just stunning. He’d bite all our heads off if he could.
.@realDonaldTrump’s threat insults the memory of scores of Americans who perished in wildfires last year & thousands more who lost their homes. @GOPLeader must join me to condemn & call on POTUS to reassure millions in CA that our govt will be there for them in their time of need https://t.co/YZJQug9zh0
— Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) January 9, 2019
Last night he was on tv pretending to be all broken up about victims of violent crimes, and this morning he takes time out of watching tv to tell us he’s taking disaster relief funding away from victims of violent wildfires.
It’s almost funny how much turns out to be reliant on normal adults occupying the presidency; this is I suppose the first ever ‘evil toddler’ test the American apparatus has been subjected to.