HAYWOOD COUNTY, N.C. — U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy is in western North Carolina Monday.
ABC affiliate WLOS reports Duffy was expected to tour ongoing repairs along Interstate 40 in Haywood County near the Tennessee state line.
The road has been closed since September of last year, WLOS reports, after Hurricane Helene caused landslides and flooding in the area.
President Donald Trump visited western North Carolina last month.
Trump was in the Asheville area twice during the 2024 presidential campaign, and Jan. 24 marked his first visit since taking the oath of office.
During his visit, ABC News reports Trump told media he planned on signing an executive order “fundamentally reforming” the Federal Emergency Management Agency “or maybe getting rid of them.”
“FEMA has been a very big disappointment,” the president said in an AP report. “It’s very bureaucratic. And it’s very slow. Other than that, we’re very happy with them.”
Beyond Trump’s criticism of FEMA, he’s suggested limiting the federal government’s role in responding to disasters, echoing comments from conservative allies who have proposed reducing funding and responsibility.
“I’d like to see the states take care of disasters,” he said after landing in the Asheville area. “Let the state take care of the tornadoes and the hurricanes and all of the other things that happen.”
Trump said that would be quicker and cheaper than sending in FEMA.
“FEMA just hasn’t done the job,” the president said. “We’re looking at the whole concept of FEMA.”
During his visit, Trump also met with families in Swannanoa.
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