Trump has repeatedly shown a willingness to impose conditions on critical funds for disaster recovery.
Late last week, the Trump administration officially denied the state of Washington’s request for disaster aid to assist with recovery efforts related to last year’s “bomb cyclone” that killed at least two people and damaged hundreds of homes and businesses.
The administration sent a letter Friday responding to former Gov. Jay Inslee, who filed the request for $34 million to the Federal Emergency Management Agency before his term ended and he was replaced by current Democratic Gov. Bob Ferguson. The letter says:
This is in response to your January 14, 2025, request for a major disaster declaration for the State of Washington as a result of severe storms, straight-line winds, flooding, landslides, and mudslides during the period of November 17 to November 23, 2024. You specifically requested a declaration for Public Assistance for six counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide. Based on our review of all the information available, it has been determined that supplemental federal assistance under the Stafford Act is not warranted. Therefore, I must inform you that your request for a major disaster declaration is denied.
The letter doesn’t give a specific reason to justify why the administration thinks the funds aren’t warranted. The Fox affiliate in Seattle reports that the cyclone ravaged local infrastructure like highways, utilities and public electrical power systems and that thousands of damage reports have been filed.
Ferguson said he plans to appeal the decision:
There are very clear criteria to qualify for these emergency relief funds. Washington’s application met all of them. This is another troubling example of the federal government withholding funding. Washington communities have been waiting for months for the resources they need to fully recover from last winter’s devastating storms, and this decision will cause further delay. We will appeal.
Denying federal disaster aid to areas led by Democrats has become a trend for President Donald Trump — one that dates to 2018, when his first administration withheld aid from Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
Last week, the administration notified North Carolina that it would no longer fully reimburse the state for funds it’s spending to recover from the devastation it suffered from Hurricane Helene last year. The move is particularly ironic considering that Trump’s pitch to North Carolina voters hinged on disinformation about the purported lack of federal aid. Democratic Gov. Josh Stein denounced the move, and North Carolina is also appealing the decision.
Local outlet NC Newsline explained that “the agency’s decision means that North Carolina will lose a critical share of federal assistance in what’s expected to be a years-long rebuild process.” The Trump administration had previously refused to approve a recovery budget for the city of Asheville unless officials cut references to a program to help minority- and women-owned businesses.
To put some context around these recent decisions, Trump has openly stated his desire to withhold disaster aid from California (led by Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom) for the recent Los Angeles County wildfires recovery unless officials agreed to institute restrictive voting laws in the state.
Trump has also floated the idea of shutting down FEMA entirely, a plan that risks leaving states without critical aid in the wake of natural catastrophes. But in lieu of a complete shutdown, he and his administration seem content to weaponize FEMA and deny residents in Democratic-led states the recovery funds they desperately need.
