TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WFLA) — From winter storms to hurricanes and wildfires, the next FEMA administrator is sure to have a lot of work to do. President Donald Trump may be looking domestically for a leader to fill that role.
Florida native Kevin Guthrie is rumored to be on President Trump’s list to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
“Kevin Guthrie is just someone Floridians have trusted, and he certainly handled the last two hurricanes calmly and steadily. So it makes perfect sense that Trump would look to him. “It’s been a long time coming,” said Tara Newsome of St. Pete. University political analyst.
Guthrie has climbed the ladder to his current role as director of the state’s Office of Emergency Management, covering things like the Surfside condo collapse, COVID-19 vaccinations, Hurricanes Helen and Milton, and now winter storms. has played a role in addressing the events of
Politico spoke to two people familiar with Trump’s transition and said, “That’s their top choice.”
Guthrie walked out when asked about the news at a news conference in Tallahassee.
“FEMA has a lot of work to do,” said Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.). “But if we’re talking about emergency response, where do we go? It’s going to come here to Kevin.”
Gov. DeSantis said Guthrie did better than anyone.
“Now I say to him, I really don’t want to lose you, but I want people to go on to bigger and better things, and that’s totally fine and I’m very supportive of that. When we get there, understand, we’re going to ask you to change, we don’t want to carry out the same strategy as before,” Governor DeSantis said.
Political analysts also believe that it is still early days.
“The Trump administration has said it’s not ready to make this type of announcement yet. But it’s also interesting that in recent days President Trump has indicated that FEMA could be on the chopping block,” Newsom said. he said.
Newsom has questioned whether President Trump intends to invite Guthrie to head an agency and then dismantle it.
“We’re kind of the perfect breeding ground state in some ways for Kevin Guthrie to get ready for the national stage. But I don’t necessarily think Governor DeSantis has shown that kind of behavior. I don’t think we’re going to let anyone go, “great Republican leadership and responsiveness to Florida’s needs,” Newsom said.
Now, whether Kevin Guthrie actually wants to take the role or the president offers it, it wouldn’t be surprising news to hear the name of another Floridian in the mix.
