Speaking to reporters, the president predicted future disasters would need “probably less FEMA, because FEMA just hasn’t done the job. And we’re looking at the whole concept of FEMA.”

FEMA helps respond to disasters when local leaders request a presidential emergency declaration, a signal that the damage is beyond the state's ability to handle on its own. FEMA can reimburse governments for recovery efforts such as debris removal, and it gives stopgap financial assistance to individual residents.