Fact check: How many national emergencies are currently active in the United States?

1. Summary of the results

There are currently 49 active national emergencies in the United States as of April 2025 ^[1]. This number comes from a total of 90 declared emergencies throughout U.S. history, with 41 having expired ^[1].

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

Several important contextual points need to be considered:

• These emergencies are maintained through annual presidential renewals under the National Emergencies Act of 1976 ^[1]
• The original question doesn't address the significant fact that more than half of all declared emergencies in U.S. history remain active ^[1]
• The existence of the National Emergencies Act of 1976 provides the legal framework for these declarations ^[1]

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The simple question about the number of emergencies might lead to misconceptions:

• It doesn't reflect that these are formally maintained states of emergency rather than immediate crisis situations
• The question might suggest these are all recent declarations, when in fact they span multiple presidential administrations
• Who benefits:
• The Executive Branch benefits from maintaining these emergencies, as they provide additional powers and flexibility in governance
• Federal agencies often receive additional funding and authority during states of emergency
• The simple number without context could be used by both critics (to suggest government overreach) or supporters (to justify expanded federal powers)

*Note: Multiple sources ^[1] confirm these numbers, increasing the reliability of this information. One source ^[2] did not contain relevant information about national emergencies.*