Trump is taking longer to approve disaster aid and denying Democratic states more frequently

By — David A. Lieb, Associated Press David A. Lieb, Associated Press By — M.K. Wildeman, Associated Press M.K. Wildeman, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/trump-is-taking-longer-to-approve-disaster-aid-and-denying-democratic-states-more-frequently Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Trump is taking longer to approve disaster aid and denying Democratic states more frequently Politics Jul 16, 2026 12:14 PM EDT When major disasters strike, Americans are routinely waiting weeks — or even months — to receive presidential approval for aid. And if they live in a state that didn't support President Donald Trump, chances are greater that aid will be denied. Since taking office last year, Trump has approved about 65 requests for major disaster declarations and denied more than two dozen others from states, tribes or territories seeking federal financial assistance following hurricanes, tornadoes, storms, floods and fires. WATCH: Proposed FEMA changes raise questions about the future of disaster response Trump has taken longer on average to approve disaster requests than any other president, according to an Associated Press analysis of data dating back to 1989, when a federal law setting new parameters for disaster determinations was implemented. And no other president has such a disparity in denials between states that supported him politically and those that did not. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. The delays and denials come as Trump's administration contemplates a makeover of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which administers disaster aid. Major disaster declarations are intended for events that are beyond the resources of state and local governments. Trump is saying yes to Republicans more than Democrats During his second term, Trump has denied a greater percentage of disaster requests than any president dating to 1989. Those denials have not been evenly distributed among states. Trump has approved 80% of the disaster requests from Republican governors but only about 60% from Democratic governors, according to the AP's analysis of FEMA data. The discrepancy is even more apparent when analyzing major disaster declarations based on presidential elections. Trump has approved more than three-fourths of the requests from states that voted for him in the 2024 election but less than half the requests from states that did not. Although there are federal criteria for disaster aid, decisions ultimately are at the president's discretion. READ MORE: DHS secretary nominee Mullin presents a different vision for FEMA than predecessor Noem A batch of denials earlier this month included four Democratic states — Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island — seeking federal aid for a February snowstorm. "The President's denial is part of a pattern of extreme partisanshi