One FEMA official described the strategic plan as the agency's "organizational backbone," saying, "Without it, there are just a bunch of offices doing whatever they feel like doing."

As President Trump remakes the agency, former officials say the changes could leave states without key federal support after disasters.

President Donald Trump's plan to begin “phasing out” the federal agency that responds to disasters after the 2025 hurricane season is likely to put more responsibilities on states to provide services following increasingly frequent and expensive climate disasters,