(The Center Square) – Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes is part of a coalition that wants a court to force the Trump administration to unfreeze “essential” funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
The Office of the Attorney General says the Trump administration is defying “multiple court orders” by withholding millions of dollars in FEMA grants to states. Twenty-two other attorneys general agree and have asked the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island to intervene.
“This reckless behavior puts lives at risk and undermines the ability of states to respond to disasters,” said Mayes in a press release. “With wildfire season upon us, I will not stand by and allow the Trump administration to jeopardize public safety. The court must do everything in its power to enforce these orders.”
The funds are for programs that respond to natural disasters and cybersecurity threats, according to Mayes.
The actions from the Trump administration are part of a broader effort to examine and cut down on spending. In a Jan. 27 memo, Matthew J. Vaeth, then the acting director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, wrote that the American people gave President Donald Trump a “mandate” to increase the impact of every taxpayer dollar.
“In Fiscal Year 2024, of the nearly $10 trillion that the Federal Government spent, more than $3 trillion was Federal financial assistance, such as grants and loans,” wrote Vaeth. “Career and political appointees in the Executive Branch have a duty to align Federal spending and action with the will of the American people as expressed through presidential priorities.”
Vaeth added that financial assistance should be dedicated to advancing not only the Trump administration’s priorities but ensuring a stronger and safer America and promoting efficiency in government, among other things.
Meanwhile, Trump signed an executive order on March 18 to “empower states, localities and citizens to more effectively prepare” for weather events and cyber-attacks.
A White House Fact Sheet says it also launched a National Resilience Strategy that will outline ways to advance this effort.
Other states that are part of the coalition suing to unfreeze FEMA funds include California, Colorado, Nevada and New Mexico.
