It was in esponse to the Trump Administration’s recent gutting of federal emergency response capacity.
WASHINGTON, DC (June 17, 2025) – Tuesday, Greenpeace USA deployed banners at FEMA headquarters to assist in making Uncle Sam’s message to the country crystal clear: this hurricane season, you are on your own.
Photos and videos are available here.
In response to the Trump Administration’s recent gutting of federal emergency response capacity, Greenpeace USA Deputy Climate Director John Nöel said:
“At this point, it’s not even shocking, but it still bears repeating: the Trump Administration can’t just get rid of critical infrastructure to address natural disasters – and then declare hurricanes extinct. But that’s exactly what it’s trying to do. On the heels of NOAA (another agency being dismantled) saying this hurricane season could be especially intense – and possibly more deadly – The Trump White House now wants to scrap FEMA, the agency that could help Americans survive it. This agency has long served as a lifeline for communities recovering from natural disasters – but even prior to cuts, it was struggling to keep up with worsening disasters and an administration that’s been tying aid to political alignment.
“Without federal support, states will have to raise taxes on working people and businesses in order to fill budget gaps created by extreme weather. While Americans face increasingly deadly hurricanes and floods Trump is firing the staff from agencies that track and coordinate emergency response while carrying out Big Oil’s wishlist that slashes climate funding when communities need it most. This only ensures Americans pay with not just the cost of their lives, businesses, and homes, but also higher energy bills, disaster relief taxes, and skyrocketing insurance premiums.
“As the Trump administration abandons its responsibility to protect Americans, it is time for governors to step up and make polluters, specifically oil and gas corporations, pay for the crisis they’ve created instead of your constituents.”
Contact: Madison Carter, Greenpeace USA National Press Secretary, [email protected]
Greenpeace USA is part of a global network of independent campaigning organizations that use peaceful protest and creative communication to expose global environmental problems and promote solutions that are essential to a green and peaceful future. Greenpeace USA is committed to transforming the country’s unjust social, environmental, and economic systems from the ground up to address the climate crisis, advance racial justice, and build an economy that puts people first. Learn more at www.greenpeace.org/usa.
