Analysts compare Trump FEMA cuts to Coolidge's 1927 Great Flood refusal

Commentators and historians drew sustained comparisons in February 2026 between President Trump's DOGE-driven cuts to FEMA and President Calvin Coolidge's refusal to commit federal resources to the 1927 Great Mississippi River Flood, the worst natural disaster in American history at the time. DOGE had cut roughly 20 percent of FEMA's staff by early 2026, with more than 1,800 employees accepting deferred resignation or early retirement offers. Like Coolidge, who insisted states absorb the cost of rebuilding, Trump had repeatedly signaled his intent to phase out FEMA and shift disaster response entirely to states after the 2025 hurricane season.