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Just weeks ago, President Donald Trump said he wanted to begin 鈥減hasing out鈥� the Federal Emergency Management Agency after this hurricane season to 鈥渨ean off of FEMA鈥� and 鈥渂ring it down to the state level.鈥�

But after months of promises to overhaul or eliminate the federal agency charged with responding to disasters, Trump and his administration are touting a fast and robust federal response to the devastating Texas floods. In doing so, they are aligning more closely with a traditional model of disaster response 鈥� and less with the dramatic reform the president has proposed.

The president approved Texas Gov. Greg Abbott鈥檚 request for a major disaster declaration just one day after it was submitted, activating FEMA resources and unlocking assistance for survivors and local governments. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told Trump in a presidential Cabinet meeting Tuesday morning that FEMA was deploying funding and resources quickly. 鈥淲e鈥檙e cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA, streamlining it, much like your vision of how FEMA should operate,鈥� Noem said.

Noem said the rapid delivery of funds to Texas resembled the 鈥渟tate block grants鈥� model Trump has promoted. It’s an idea that would replace FEMA鈥檚 current system of reimbursing states for response and recovery expenses at a cost-share of at least 75%.

But ex-FEMA officials say it鈥檚 unclear how the response differs from FEMA鈥檚 typical role in disasters, which is to support states through coordination and funding. Instead, they say, the vigorous federal response underscores how difficult it would be for states to take on FEMA鈥檚 responsibilities if it were dismantled.

鈥淭his is a defining event that can help them realize that a Federal Emergency Management Agency is essential,鈥� said Michael Coen, FEMA chief of staff in the Obama and Biden administrations. 鈥淚magine if an event like this happened a year from now, after FEMA is eliminated. What would the president or secretary (Noem) offer to the governor of Texas if there is no FEMA?鈥�

The Department of Homeland Security and FEMA did not immediately respond to questions about Noem鈥檚 remarks, including whether FEMA was doing something different in how it moved money to Texas, or why it resembled a block-grant system.

FEMA will have multiple roles in Texas

While Noem and Trump have emphasized that Texas is leading the response and recovery to the floods, that has always been FEMA鈥檚 role, said Justin Knighten, the agency’s director of external affairs during the Biden administration.

鈥淭he state is in the lead. FEMA is invited into the state to support,鈥� Knighten said. He said that while Texas鈥� division of emergency management is one of the most experienced in the country, even the most capable states face catastrophes that overwhelm them: 鈥淲hen there鈥檚 capacity challenges and resource need, that鈥檚 where FEMA steps in.鈥�

One of FEMA鈥檚 primary roles will be to coordinate resources from other federal agencies. If the state needs the Army Corps of Engineers to help with debris removal, Health and Human Services for mortuary support and crisis counseling, or EPA for water quality testing, FEMA arranges that at the state’s request and then reimburses those agencies. 鈥淔EMA becomes a one-point entry for all federal support,鈥� Coen said.

The agency also coordinates first-responder support 鈥� like search-and-rescue teams deployed from across the country 鈥� and reimburses those costs. It administers the National Flood Insurance Program, which gives homeowners and renters access to flood coverage not typically included in general policies.

Those with insufficient insurance or none at all will rely heavily on FEMA鈥檚 Individual Assistance program, which supports survivors with needs like temporary housing and home repairs. On Wednesday, the agency is opening disaster recovery centers where households can get help applying for assistance, according to Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. The Public Assistance program will reimburse state and local governments for most or all of the costs of infrastructure repairs.

States would have trouble replacing FEMA

While Trump and Noem often say they want states to take on more responsibility in disaster response, experts say the tragedy in Texas underscores how even the most capable states need support.

鈥淚t’s true that Texas is very capable, but I think it鈥檚 something that people forget that FEMA pays for a lot of state and local emergency capacity,鈥� said Maddie Sloan, director of the disaster recovery and fair housing project at the policy nonprofit Texas Appleseed. The Texas Division of Emergency Management鈥檚 budget of over $2 billion is .

鈥淚f a state like Texas asks for federal assistance within two days, the smaller states that are less capable don鈥檛 stand a chance,鈥� said Jeremy Edwards, FEMA’s deputy director of public affairs during the Biden administration.

States would have to set up their own recovery programs and to coordinate with each federal agency if they were given block grants in lieu of FEMA involvement. 鈥淲ithout FEMA, a governor or a state has to be calling around and have a Rolodex of the whole federal government to call and try and figure out what support they can get,鈥� Coen said.

There are plenty of reforms that could improve how FEMA reimburses states and helps survivors, experts said, but eliminating it risks big gaps in recovery. 鈥淲e have spent a lot of time encouraging FEMA to be better, but if FEMA goes away, there is no help for individual families,” Sloan said.

Uncertain future for federal disaster response

Trump has deflected questions about what the Texas response means for FEMA鈥檚 future. A 12-member review council established by the president and charged with proposing FEMA reforms will meet for the second time Wednesday. Abbott and Kidd are both on the council.

At the first meeting, Abbott called FEMA 鈥渟low and clunky鈥� and said reforms should 鈥渟treamline the effort.” He has praised Trump’s quick disaster declaration in Texas.

While no large reforms to the agency have been enacted yet, smaller policy changes could impact Texas鈥� recovery.

This spring, the administration did away with FEMA鈥檚 practice of door-to-door canvassing to help households enroll for assistance, calling it 鈥渨asteful and ineffective.鈥� Many of the impacted areas in Kerr County and beyond still lack power and accessible roads, which will make it difficult for households to apply immediately for help.

Abbott鈥檚 request for hazard mitigation funding, a common add-on to public and individual assistance that helps communities rebuild with resilience, is also still pending. Trump has not approved any hazard-mitigation assistance requests since February.