Full Breakdown
Partisan Gap in Federal Disaster Aid Under President Donald Trump
7/16/2026, 1:13:47 PM
Disparities in Disaster Declarations
Since assuming office in January 2025, President Donald Trump has approved roughly 65 major-disaster requests and denied more than two dozen petitions from states, tribes or territories. The approvals are sharply divided along party lines: 80 % of requests from Republican governors have been granted, compared with about 60 % from Democratic governors. When the analysis is cross-referenced with the 2024 presidential election, more than 75 % of aid requests from states that voted for Trump were approved, while less than 50 % of requests from states that supported his opponent received a declaration. A recent batch of denials targeted the Democratic-led states of Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island after a severe February 2026 snowstorm.
Historical Context
The Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act (1988) authorizes the president to issue major-disaster declarations when local resources are exhausted. Under President Barack Obama, approval rates were 87 % for Democratic governors and 79 % for Republican governors, with no partisan split in states that voted for or against him. All presidents before Trump—George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush—averaged less than two weeks to approve requests, whereas Trump’s second-term average is about six weeks after a governor’s submission, often extending beyond two months.
Data Highlights
- 65 approvals, >24 denials since 2025.
- 80 % approval for Republican governors vs 60 % for Democratic governors.
- >75 % approval for states that gave Trump electoral votes vs <50 % for opposition states.
- Average approval time: 1.5 months (? 45 days), up from ? 3 weeks in Trump’s first term and the Biden administration.
Official Statements & Responses
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson asserted that the process is non-partisan:
> “There is no politicization to the President’s decisions on disaster relief.” — Abigail Jackson, White House spokesperson
Jackson added that the administration’s review aims to protect taxpayer funds:
> “ensuring American tax dollars are used appropriately and efficiently by the states to supplement — not substitute — their obligation to respond to and recover from disasters.” — Abigail Jackson, White House spokesperson
During a Senate committee hearing, Cameron Hamilton, the nominee for FEMA director, pledged to accelerate disaster declarations and reimbursements while keeping the agency “objective, fair and reasonable.”
Criticism & Opposition
Rhode Island’s Democratic senators and representatives issued a joint statement condemning the pattern:
> “The President’s denial is part of a pattern of extreme partisanship as he tries to shift a heavier economic burden onto blue states.” — Rhode Island Democratic Senators and Representatives
> “Disaster aid should be merit-based, not politicized.” — Rhode Island Democratic Senators and Representatives
Proposed FEMA Reforms
A Trump-appointed council has recommended:
- New eligibility criteria requiring states, territories, and tribes to meet annual minimum expenditure thresholds.
- Reducing the federal share of disaster assistance from 75 % to 50 %, shifting more cost to state and local governments.
- Delivering federal funds to approved jurisdictions within 30 days of a declaration, consolidating individual assistance into a single payment for households with uninhabitable homes.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
While the current term shows a pronounced partisan split, Trump’s first term reportedly approved a higher share of requests from states that opposed him—a reversal that the data does not fully explain. Detailed reasons for individual denials and the impact of pending FEMA leadership changes remain unclear.
What’s Next
The Senate is expected to vote on Cameron Hamilton’s confirmation as FEMA director in the coming weeks. If confirmed, his administration may implement the council’s recommendations, potentially reshaping the balance of federal and state responsibility in disaster response.
