On May 7, 2026, the President’s Council on FEMA Review released its report, completing the mandate established under Executive Order 14180 issued by President Donald J. Trump in 2025. The ten-member council, co-chaired by Secretary Mullin and Secretary Hegseth, was tasked with conducting a full-scale review of FEMA and recommending improvements or structural changes to strengthen national resilience.

Key takeaways:

• Calls for “closing the chapter on FEMA” as currently structured and establishing a transformed, leaner agency focused on core emergency management missions, with a renewed emphasis on locally executed, state or tribally managed, and federally supported emergency management.
• Calls for reviewing of all existing FEMA programs but highlights agencies such as the US&R and USFA as having “proven track records of effective federal-state-local partnership.”
• Does not address whether FEMA or its successor should remain within DHS or another department, nor does it reference the AFG or SAFER grant programs.

We will continue to monitor how Congress addresses and advances these reform recommendations.

The full report can be accessed here. 

An executive summary prepared by Dave’s team can be accessed here.