A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told The Hill via email that Secretary Kristi Noem found out at 12:26 p.m. EST that the meeting was canceled.
The meeting had been slated to begin at 1 p.m.
The meeting was canceled because White House officials had not been fully briefed on the latest draft of the report, an administration official told The Hill.
The cancellation comes amid reported tensions between Noem and the White House, though President Trump has denied such reports, saying Wednesday, “I read a story recently I’m unhappy with Kristi. I’m so happy with her.”
The council’s recommendations were expected to be presented to the public and voted upon by members at the now-canceled meeting.
The recommendations have not been made public, though CNN obtained a copy of the report. Its recommendations include cutting FEMA’s staffing in half and implementing a new block grant system aimed at getting funds to communities more quickly, according to the news network.
It also reportedly calls for changing FEMA’s name and raising the threshold under which states qualify for federal aid in the wake of a storm.
Read more at TheHill.com.
