Trump approves 80% of GOP disaster aid requests, 60% for Democrats

Since taking office last year, Trump has faced more than two dozen denied disaster requests and approved about 65, making him the slowest president to approve aid since federal disaster law was implemented in 1989. An Associated Press analysis of FEMA data reveals that Trump approved 80% of disaster requests from Republican governors but only about 60% from Democratic governors — a disparity with no parallel under previous presidents. When examining requests by state voting patterns in the 2024 election, Trump approved more than three-fourths of requests from states that voted for him but less than half from states that did not.

The delays are equally striking. Trump takes an average of a month and a half to approve major disaster declarations after receiving a request from a governor or chief executive, whereas Trump approved requests in about three weeks during his first term, a pace similar to President Biden. Presidents Obama, Bush, Clinton, and George H.W. Bush all approved requests in fewer than two weeks on average. In Trump's second term, 70% of approvals have taken at least a month, compared to about one-quarter during his first term and Biden's administration, and fewer than 10% under predecessors. 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. Rhode Island's Democratic U.S. Senate and House members issued a joint statement saying the President's denial is "part of a pattern of extreme partisanship as he tries to shift a heavier economic burden onto blue states."

The longer people wait for federal aid, the longer they go without assistance for daily living expenses, temporary lodging, and home repairs. Delays also hamper local officials' recovery efforts when they are uncertain whether they will receive federal reimbursement for debris cleanup and infrastructure rebuilding. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson stated there is "no politicization to the President's decisions on disaster relief" and said Trump conducts a more thorough review than any previous administration "ensuring American tax dollars are used appropriately and efficiently."

FEMA has cycled through four different temporary leaders since Trump took office in January 2025. Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL, is awaiting Senate confirmation as the agency's permanent director. Hamilton was fired as FEMA's acting director in May 2025 after publicly disagreeing with Trump's plan to dismantle the agency. During a Senate committee hearing last month, he pledged to speed up disaster declaration decisions and reimbursements while ensuring FEMA remains "objective, fair and reasonable." His reemergence suggests Trump now may favor reform over elimination. A Trump-appointed council has recommended changes including revised criteria for declarations, such as annual minimum expenditure requirements for states and territories, and reducing the federal government's minimum share of disaster costs from 75% to 50% — a change that would require congressional approval. Under the council's proposal, federal funding could arrive within 30 days of a declaration instead of waiting months or years for reimbursements based on proof of expenditures.

Trump's handling of disaster aid reveals a stark partisan divide unseen in the modern presidency. While every president has discretion over major disaster declarations, the data show Trump approving 80% of Republican requests but only 60% of Democratic ones — a gap wider than any president since 1989. His first term showed the opposite pattern, making the second-term reversal particularly notable. The delays compound the disparity: with 70% of approvals now taking at least a month, people in denied or delayed states face months of waiting for federal assistance to rebuild homes and businesses, forcing individuals and local governments to absorb costs themselves.

The longer approval timeline also reflects Trump's stated philosophy. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Trump conducts "a more thorough review than any administration before him," though critics argue the delays disproportionately burden Democratic states. Meanwhile, a Trump-appointed council is recommending structural changes to FEMA — shifting costs from the federal government (currently capped at a minimum 75% share) to states (potentially capped at 50%), and tightening criteria for eligibility. FEMA nominee Cameron Hamilton, a former Navy SEAL fired in May 2025 after opposing Trump's idea of dismantling the agency entirely, has since pledged to speed up decisions during his confirmation hearing, suggesting Trump may favor reform over elimination.