President Donald Trump surveyed disaster zones in California and North Carolina on Friday and said he was considering 맥스카지노�getting rid of맥스카지노� the Federal Emergency Management Agency, offering the latest sign of how he is weighing sweeping changes to the nation's central organization for responding to disasters.In fire-ravaged California, the state맥스카지노�s Democratic leaders pressed Trump for federal assistance that he맥스카지노�s threatened to hold up, some setting aside their past differences to shower him with praise. Trump, in turn, pressured local officials to waive permitting requirements so people can immediately rebuild, pledging that federal permits would be granted promptly.Instead of having federal financial assistance flow through FEMA, the Republican president said Washington could provide money directly to the states. He made the comments while visiting North Carolina, which is still recovering months after Hurricane Helene, on the first trip of his second term.맥스카지노�FEMA has been a very big disappointment," the Republican president said. 맥스카지노�It맥스카지노�s very bureaucratic. And it맥스카지노�s very slow."Trump was greeted in California by Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Trump critic whom the president frequently disparages. The duo chatted amiably and gestured toward cooperation despite their bitter history.맥스카지노�We맥스카지노�re going to need your support. We맥스카지노�re going to need your help,맥스카지노� Newsom told Trump. 맥스카지노�You were there for us during COVID. I don맥스카지노�t forget that, and I have all the expectations we맥스카지노�ll be able to work together to get a speedy recovery.맥스카지노�Newsom has praised Trump before when looking for help from the federal government. In the early months of the coronavirus pandemic, he called Trump 맥스카지노�thoughtful맥스카지노� and 맥스카지노�collaborative.맥스카지노�Trump flew over several devastated neighborhoods in Marine One, the presidential helicopter, before landing in Pacific Palisades, a hard-hit community that맥스카지노�s home to some of Southern California맥스카지노�s rich and famous. Accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, he walked a street where all the houses have burned, chatting with residents and police officers.It takes seeing the damage firsthand to grasp its enormity, Trump said after. The fires, which continue to burn, could end up being the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history.맥스카지노�It is devastation. It really is an incineration," Trump said.Trump맥스카지노�s brief but friendly interaction with Newsom belied the confrontational stance he signaled toward California earlier in the day. Even on the plane en route to Los Angeles, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt was using Trump맥스카지노�s disparaging nickname for the governor, 맥스카지노�Newscum,맥스카지노� and telling reporters 맥스카지노�he has wronged the people of his state맥스카지노� and saying Trump was visiting to pressure Newsom and other officials 맥스카지노�to do right by their citizens.맥스카지노�Trump said Los Angeles residents who lost their homes should be able to get back onto their properties immediately to clear them, adding several told him it will be months before they can rebuild.Mayor Karen Bass said residents should be able to return home within the week, but keeping people safe from hazardous materials is a top priority. She said the city was easing the process to get permits, but she was repeatedly interrupted by Trump as she tried to explain the city's efforts. He downplayed the concerns about toxins, saying: 맥스카지노�What's hazardous waste? We're going to have to define that.맥스카지노�Before flying to California, Trump reiterated that he wants to extract concessions from the Democratic-led state in return for disaster assistance, including changes to water policies and requirements that voters need to show identification when casting ballots.Beyond Trump맥스카지노�s criticism of FEMA, he맥스카지노�s suggested limiting the federal government맥스카지노�s role in responding to disasters, echoing comments from conservative allies who have proposed reducing funding and responsibility.맥스카지노�I맥스카지노�d like to see the states take care of disasters,맥스카지노� he said in North Carolina. 맥스카지노�Let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen.맥스카지노�Trump said that would be quicker and cheaper than sending in FEMA.맥스카지노�FEMA just hasn맥스카지노�t done the job,맥스카지노� the president said. 맥스카지노�We맥스카지노�re looking at the whole concept of FEMA.맥스카지노�Trump said Michael Whatley, a North Carolina native and chair of the Republican National Committee, would help coordinate recovery efforts in the state, where frustrations over the federal response have lingered. Although Whatley does not hold an official government position, Trump said he would be 맥스카지노�very much in charge.맥스카지노�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.Trump has criticized former President Joe Biden for his administration맥스카지노�s response to Helene in North Carolina. As he left the White House on Friday morning, he told reporters that 맥스카지노�it맥스카지노�s been a horrible thing the way that맥스카지노�s been allowed to fester맥스카지노� since the storm hit in September, and 맥스카지노�we맥스카지노�re going to get it fixed up.맥스카지노�맥스카지노�I맥스카지노�ll be the president who맥스카지노�s going to help you fix it because he would not have been able to help you fix it," Trump said of his predecessor in California.In a small town in western North Carolina, residents told Trump about wading through waist-deep water to escape from their homes while fearing for their lives. Some have battled with insurance companies to get their losses covered.맥스카지노�We맥스카지노�ve come to North Carolina with a simple message," Trump said. 맥스카지노�You are not forgotten any longer. You were treated very badly by the previous administration.맥스카지노�FEMA has distributed $319 million in financial assistance to residents, but that hasn't alleviated the feeling of abandonment among residents who are struggling to rebuild their lives.Trump has showered California leaders with disdain for water policies that he falsely claimed worsened the recent blazes. He said he would 맥스카지노�take a look at a fire that could have been put out if they let the water flow, but they didn맥스카지노�t let the water flow.맥스카지노�In Los Angeles, he met with members of Congress and local officials from both parties in a meeting that was at times contentious. Trump again suggested using federal disaster assistance as a bargaining chip during unrelated legislative negotiations over government borrowing, or as leverage to persuade California to change its water policies.맥스카지노�Playing politics with people맥스카지노�s livelihoods is unacceptable and a slap in the face to the Southern California wildfire victims and to our brave first responders,맥스카지노� Rep. Young Kim, a Republican from Orange County, south of Los Angeles, said in a recent statement.Trump has been focused on California water policies, specifically fish conservation efforts in the northern part of the state.Michael Coen, who served as chief of staff at FEMA during the Biden administration, said Trump was 맥스카지노�misinformed맥스카지노� about an agency that provides critical help to states when they are overwhelmed by catastrophe.In addition, Coen criticized the idea of attaching strings to assistance.맥스카지노�You맥스카지노�re going to pick winners and losers on which communities are going to be supported by the federal government," he said. "I think the American people expect the federal government will be there for them on their worst day, no matter where they live.맥스카지노�Trump tapped Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL with limited experience managing natural disasters, as FEMA맥스카지노�s acting director.Friday's trip could prompt some uncomfortable conversations about climate change, which Trump has played down and denied. Both Helene and the Los Angeles wildfires were exacerbated by global warming.In Helene맥스카지노�s case, a study by international climate scientists at World Weather Attribution found that climate change boosted the storm맥스카지노�s rainfall by 10%. In California, the state suffered a record dry fall and winter 맥스카지노� its traditional wet season 맥스카지노� which made the area around Los Angeles more vulnerable to blazes.맥스카지노�This is just breaking our comfort zone of what is supposed to be normal,맥스카지노� said University of Oregon researcher Amanda Stasiewicz.After visiting North Carolina and California, Trump plans to hold a rally Saturday in Las Vegas.___ Associated Press writers Stephen Groves, Seth Borenstein and Jonathan J. Cooper contributed to this report.