The Louisiana Governor's Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness will now be operated by the Louisiana National Guard in a change that Governor Jeff Landry says will save the state money.
Landry announced the change on Thursday morning. At the same time, Landry announced the dismissal of GOHSEP's director, Jacques Thibodeaux. National Guard Brigadier General Jason Mahfouz will serve as GOHSEP's interim director and will be responsible for day-to-day operations. Adjutant General Thomas Friloux will oversee GOHSEP during its transition to National Guard control.
“GOHSEP Director Jacques Thibodeaux took on a challenging role and served our state with dedication under difficult circumstances," Landry said in a statement. "We deeply appreciate his service."
Landry says placing GOHSEP under the control of the Louisiana National Guard will help him fulfill a campaign promise.
"As governor, I was elected with a commitment to cutting waste and streamlining government," Landry said in his statement. "As part of our fiscal responsibility initiative, we've identified an opportunity to save millions by bringing GOHSEP under the National Guard. This move not only delivers significant cost savings but also aligns with my belief in the importance of relying more on our National Guard to strengthen our state's resilience."
According to LAPolitics.com publisher Jeremy Alford, Landry is taking a page from President Trump's playbook.
"For starters, this is certainly trendy politics. We're seeing this on the federal level," Alford said. "This is a big part of kind of a copycat politics trend that we're seeing in conservative states, particularly with Republican governors."
Alford says Governor Landry is channeling what President Donald Trump is attempting to do on the federal level and make cuts to the state government where he sees fit.
"This is par for the course for Jeff Landry," Alford said. "I don't think people really appreciate just how much Jeff Landry is changing the footprint of state government.
According to Alford, Landry's decision to place GOHSEP under the National Guard's umbrella could be a sign of other changes to come.
"This is all one kind of one big push by Jeff Landry to reshape state government in the name of efficiencies and cost savings," Alford said. "He's about to make a major overhaul of the Department of Transportation and Development. We've already seen some pretty dramatic changes at places like the Ethics Administration as well as at Louisiana Economic Development."
Alford also says that this move may indicate that Landry has ambitions beyond the governor's office.
"I think all of this points to, one day, Jeff Landry being able to say to a national audience or a different kind of audience that he shrunk the footprint of state government, he reshaped bureaucracy, and he did it in a shade that is very Trump-like," Alford said.
