Trump talked about everything but hurricanes at his FEMA hurricane preparedness meeting


While meeting with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials Wednesday, President Trump offered a few brief words about hurricane preparedness and Puerto Rico. But he had a lot to say about, well, everything else.
The Washington Post obtained audio of the private meeting, which demonstrated Trump's meandering stream of consciousness while operating without a script. The meeting was ostensibly to prepare for the 2018 hurricane season, which began this month, but Trump only briefly mentioned Puerto Rico, where more than 4,500 people are believed to have died in the aftermath of September's Hurricane Maria. The Post said that Trump didn't mention the victims, instead praising the response to the disaster.
The president quickly moved on from the topic of hurricanes, saying "we'll maybe make a deal" with North Korea during Tuesday's summit in Singapore. "Maybe and maybe not. Who knows?" He commented on the California elections, bragging that "we won every seat that I endorsed" and analyzing the polls that he's "not sure" he believes.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Trump also oddly focused on airplane price negotiations, complaining that the military unnecessarily wants all-new aircraft equipment that can be pricey. Without evidence, he claimed that he managed to bring plane prices down "by millions of dollars." Read more of Trump's off-topic comments, ranging from coal companies to Apple to his popularity, at The Washington Post.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Summer Meza has worked at The Week since 2018, serving as a staff writer, a news writer and currently the deputy editor. As a proud news generalist, she edits everything from political punditry and science news to personal finance advice and film reviews. Summer has previously written for Newsweek and the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, covering national politics, transportation and the cannabis industry.
-
Millet: Life on the Land – an 'absorbing' exhibition
The Week Recommends Free exhibition at the National Gallery showcases the French artist's moving paintings of rural life
-
Scientists are speeding up evolution
Under the radar Proteins can evolve in minutes
-
Crossword: August 29, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
DC prosecutors lose bid to indict sandwich thrower
Speed Read Prosecutors sought to charge Sean Dunn with assaulting a federal officer
-
White House fires new CDC head amid agency exodus
Speed Read CDC Director Susan Monarez was ousted after butting heads with HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. over vaccines
-
DOGE put Social Security data at risk, official says
Speed Read DOGE workers made the personal information of hundreds of millions of Americans vulnerable to identity theft
-
Court rejects Trump suit against Maryland US judges
Speed Read Judge Thomas Cullen, a Trump appointee, said the executive branch had no authority to sue the judges
-
Trump expands National Guard role in policing
Speed Read The president wants the Guard to take on a larger role in domestic law enforcement
-
Trump says he's firing Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook
Speed Read The move is likely part of Trump's push to get the central bank to cut interest rates
-
Abrego released from jail, faces Uganda deportation
Speed Read The wrongly deported Kilmar Abrego García is expected to be detained at an ICE check-in and deported to Uganda
-
Trump arms National Guard in DC, threatens other cities
speed read His next targets are Chicago, New York and Baltimore