In brief
President Donald Trump has approved disaster declarations for Alaska, Nebraska, North Dakota, and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, allowing for federal assistance to aid recovery from recent disasters. However, he has denied requests from Vermont, Illinois, and Maryland, which has sparked criticism regarding the administration's handling of disaster relief. Trump praised his recent electoral support in these states when announcing approvals, while critics point out the politicization of aid and slow approval processes.
President Donald Trump approved major disaster declarations for Alaska, Nebraska, North Dakota and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe late Wednesday, while denying requests from Vermont, Illinois and Maryland and leaving other states still waiting for answers.The decisions fell mostly along party lines, with Trump touting on social media Wednesday that he had “won BIG” in Alaska in the last three presidential elections and that it was his “honor” to deliver for the “incredible Patriots” of Missouri, a state he also won three times.The disaster declarations authorize the Federal Emergency Management Agency to support recipients with federal financial assistance to repair public infrastructure damaged by disasters and, in some cases, provide survivors money for repairs and temporary housing. While Trump has approved more disaster declarations than he’s denied this year, he has also repeatedly floated the idea of phasing out FEMA, saying he wants states to take more responsibility for disaster response and recovery. States already take the lead in disasters, but depend on federal assistance when the needs exceed what they can manage alone. Trump has also taken longer to approve disaster declaration requests than in any previous administration, including his first, according to an Associated Press analysis. The states approved for disaster declarations include Alaska, which filed an expedited request after experiencing back-to-back storms this month that wrecked coastal villages, displaced 2,000 residents and killed at least one person. Trump approved a 100% cost share of disaster-related expenses for 90 days.North Dakota and Nebraska will also receive public assistance for August severe weather, and the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota was approved for both public and individual assistance for a June storm that felled thousands of trees across its tribal lands. Trump denied four requests, including Maryland’s appeal for reconsideration after the state was denied a disaster declaration for May flooding that severely impacted the state’s two westernmost counties. Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, denounced the decision in a statement Thursday, calling the final denial “deeply frustrating.”Maryland met the conditions necessary to qualify for public assistance, according to a preliminary damage assessment, but Trump denied the state’s request. Maryland appealed in August with further data showing the counties experienced $33.7 million in damage, which is more than three times its threshold for federal assistance. Trump also denied Vermont a major disaster declaration for July floods after the state waited over nine weeks for a decision. The damages far exceed what some of the small towns impacted can afford on their own. Several states and one tribe still await decisions on their requests. Not knowing whether public assistance is coming can delay crucial projects, especially for small jurisdictions with tight budgets, and sometimes leaves survivors without any help to secure temporary housing or repair homes now too dangerous to live in.The tribe had spent about $1.5 million of its own funds so far. With federal funding approved for both public and individual assistance, the emergency management department will focus on helping survivors first.
