Republicans vying to win the messaging war over the ongoing Department of Homeland Security shutdown are championing an unlikely cause: the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
In recent weeks, as the DHS shutdown has dragged on and FEMA’s reserves have dwindled, disaster aid has become a central part of each party’s shutdown messaging. Numerous Republicans are now touting the virtues of FEMA and airing a desire to keep the agency funded.
That marks a sharp contrast to President Donald Trump’s repeated attacks on FEMA over the past year — as he slashed the agency’s workforce and at times calling for its elimination. Many congressional Republicans, even thouse supportive of FEMA, have been hesitant to question the White House.
Among the current defenders is Wyoming Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis, who extolled the agency while accusing Democrats of playing “political games” and holding “FEMA funding hostage” in a social media post this week.
