It's Harder Than Ever to Get Federal Disaster Aid. Even in Red States. Blue states rejected more often

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/05/01/climate/fema-disaster-aid-slowdowns.html

It’s Harder Than Ever to Get Federal Disaster Aid. Even in Red States.
During President Trump’s second term, the disaster declarations that unlock money are taking longer than in the past. Blue states wait the longest and they hear ‘no’ more often.

In past decades, more than a few weeks rarely passed before presidents approved or denied state requests for disaster declarations, designations that make communities eligible for federal aid.

But that gap has been growing, a change that has accelerated under this administration. For instance, when destructive storms swept across Kansas in July, triggering widespread flash flooding that required rescues in areas still recovering from earlier storms and tornadoes, it took six months for Mr. Trump to grant the state’s request.


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Mr. Trump has highlighted the role politics plays in his disaster declaration decisions, often stressing on social media that he is eager to approve requests from states that voted for him.

“I just informed Governor Mike Dunleavy that, based on his request, I am approving $25 Million Dollars to help Alaska recover from the major typhoon they experienced earlier this month,” he wrote in a Truth Social post in October. “It is my Honor to deliver for the Great State of Alaska, which I won BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024 — ALASKA, I WILL NEVER LET YOU DOWN!”

States that voted for Mr. Trump in 2024 have seen declaration approval rates on par with past administrations, but states that backed Vice President Kamala Harris have had their requests rejected at more than twice the usual rate, the Times analysis shows.