President Trump Approves Fewer Disaster Aid Requests From Democratic States

President Trump has approved about 65 major disaster declarations and denied more than two dozen others since taking office in 2025. An Associated Press review of Federal Emergency Management Agency data found that approvals have taken an average of six weeks, longer than under any president since 1989.

The same analysis showed an 80 percent approval rate for requests from Republican governors and a 60 percent rate for Democratic governors. States that voted for President Trump in 2024 received approval for more than three-fourths of requests, while states that did not received approval for less than half.

A batch of denials this month covered requests from Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Rhode Island for a February snowstorm. Rhode Island's Democratic congressional delegation said the denials reflected "extreme partisanship" and called for merit-based aid.

A White House spokesperson stated there is "no politicization" in the decisions. Federal criteria exist for disaster declarations, but the president holds final discretion.

The agency has had four temporary leaders since January 2025. One nominee told a Senate committee last month that the goal is faster decisions and objective reviews. A council appointed by President Trump has recommended shifting more disaster costs to states and requiring minimum state spending before federal aid is considered.

The proposals would also cut the federal share of costs from 75 percent to 50 percent and consolidate individual aid into a single payment.