Trump eyes Florida’s emergency management director to lead FEMA

By Adam Wren, Daniel Lippman, Arek Sarkissian, Gary Fineout | 01/10/2025 01:02 PM EST

Kevin Guthrie is currently responsible for leading the state’s response to major disasters.

Kevin Guthrie, Director of Florida Division of Emergency Management gestures as Gov. Ron DeSantis looks on during a news conference.

Kevin Guthrie (right), elevated by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (left) in 2021, would be the second Florida emergency management official to get tapped to lead FEMA in the past 15 years. Chris O'Meara/AP

As wildfires rage in California, President-elect Donald Trump is looking to Florida to run the key agency tasked with responding to disasters — and one that is frequently a target of his ire.

Trump’s team is eyeing Florida Division of Emergency Management Executive Director Kevin Guthrie to lead the Federal Emergency Management Agency, according to two people familiar with the president-elect’s transition.

“That’s their leading candidate,” one of the people, granted anonymity to discuss the administration’s plans, told POLITICO. This person added that Trump had not yet interviewed Guthrie.

Guthrie, who would be the latest in a long line of Floridians tapped for major administration jobs, did not respond to messages seeking comment.

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