WASHINGTON — States should build larger financial reserves and strengthen their emergency response capabilities as the federal government prepares to step back from disaster recovery, FEMA Administrator Cameron Hamilton told state officials Tuesday in Little Rock, Arkansas. The Trump administration plans to shift more disaster responsibility to states, and could begin cutting federal disaster aid in as little as six months. Hamilton’s remarks offered a clearer picture of how that planned change could affect state governments and communities facing emergencies. “Every state must have the appropriate financial reserves” and the capacity “to ensure that recovery efforts can start immediately” rather than being delayed by the federal disaster-declaration process, Hamilton said, according to a recording of his remarks. He said he hoped states would become capable enough that fewer disasters would require presidential authorization of federal aid. The approach would put more weight on state preparedness—and on state budgets—when storms or other emergencies strike. The shift raises the stakes for governors and legislatures deciding how much to set aside for disasters before one occurs. States with limited reserves could face tougher choices about how quickly to fund recovery if federal assistance becomes less available. Hamilton’s comments came as the administration pursues a long-planned reworking of FEMA’s role. No specific aid programs or state-by-state funding changes were detailed in his remarks.