Overview
- The Government Accountability Office report released Tuesday found FEMA made large workforce reductions and nonrenewals without conducting required analyses of current staff or forecasts of future needs.
- GAO counted more than 4,300 separations in fiscal 2025 and cited Office of Personnel Management data showing over 6,400 departures since President Donald Trump took office.
- FEMA rescinded its 2025 strategic plan in May 2025 and has not produced a new plan to guide hiring and mission staffing, the report says.
- The agency paused broad hiring from January 2025 through May 2026 except for roles labeled mission‑critical and did not show evidence it assessed the impact of not renewing CORE on-call contracts in January 2026.
- GAO recommended new strategic planning and workforce analyses; DHS concurred but tied implementing those steps to having a Senate‑confirmed FEMA administrator and faces ongoing congressional oversight and litigation over the personnel moves.