A New Era of Disaster Response:

Why Local Capacity Matters More Than Ever

When a series of deadly tornadoes ripped across Arkansas in March 2025, causing widespread destruction and dozens of deaths, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders requested federal disaster aid, a routine step states take after catastrophic events. Historically, presidential administrations, regardless of party affiliation, have been quick to approve such requests.

In a stark rejection of the established disaster response framework codified under the Stafford Act, the Trump administration denied Arkansas’s request for federal disaster assistance. This was not a break with tradition; it was a breach of the fundamental principle that when a state is overwhelmed, the federal government acts as the backstop. Denying aid after a catastrophic event, particularly to a political ally, signals a radical and dangerous shift: a federal government willing to disengage from its disaster response obligations selectively. This decision exposes a growing vulnerability in the national emergency management system, one where political ideology and policy experiments may take precedence over the urgent needs of disaster survivors.

While it is foundational doctrine that all disasters begin and end locally, experience shows that no jurisdiction, no matter how well-prepared, can manage major catastrophes alone. We have seen it time and again, from the massive mutual aid mobilizations during Los Angeles wildfires, to hurricanes where out-of-state search and rescue teams, logistical support, and federal resources became lifelines for survival.

The Trump administration’s move to hollow out FEMA’s role and shift primary disaster response and recovery to state and local governments is not just a policy change, it is a redefinition of national emergency management philosophy. Both President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have made their position clear: communities must be prepared to fend for themselves with limited federal involvement, even in the face of large-scale catastrophes.