President Donald Trump said he was considering "getting rid of FEMA” as he visited hurricane-battered North Carolina on Friday during the first trip of his second term. https://www.10tv.com/article/news/nation-world/trump-will-visit-california-north-carolina-disaster-zones/507-83b23992-a116-4678-b72e-2d409102c8e7 The comment, made during a briefing on the monthslong recovery from Hurricane Helene, was the latest signal of how Trump is planning sweeping changes to the federal government’s role in managing catastrophes. “FEMA has been a very big disappointment," the Republican president said. “It’s very bureaucratic. And it’s very slow. Other than that, we’re very happy with them.” Trump, who also planned to visit wildfire-ravaged Los Angeles later in the day, said he was looking at signing an executive order on the Federal Emergency Management Agency. “I’d like to see the states take care of disasters," he said after landing in the Asheville area. “Let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen.” Trump said that would be quicker than sending in FEMA. “FEMA just hasn’t done the job," the president said. "We’re looking at the whole concept of FEMA.” The agency 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. Some of Trump's conservative allies have proposed reducing how much money the agency should provide. Trump has criticized former President Joe Biden for his administration's response to Hurricane Helene in North Carolina. As he left the White House on Friday morning, he told reporters that “it’s been a horrible thing the way that’s been allowed to fester” since the storm hit in September, and "we're going to get it fixed up.” Trump will receive a briefing on recovery efforts and then travel to a small town outside Asheville to meet with residents who have been helped by Samaritan’s Purse, a humanitarian organization headed by evangelical leader Franklin Graham. Once in California, Trump plans to tour the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, where rows of homes burned to the ground. He’s expected to receive a briefing on the fires, which are ongoing, with thousands of people under evacuation orders.