Trump is Politicizing Disaster Aid Again Ahead of the Midterms

Washington, DC – With less than a month until the midterm elections, Trump is continuing to play politics with disaster aid. From “joking” about withholding aid if North Carolina doesn’t elect a Republican Senator, to announcing new disaster funding along with endorsements for candidates, to approving aid right before rallying with Republicans in Ohio while other states still wait for a decision — Trump is using disaster relief funds as a political tool as he campaigns for the midterm elections. This comes as Hurricane Isaias has rapidly intensified into the first Atlantic hurricane of the season and prepares to make landfall this weekend. 

Climate Power Senior Advisor Mia Logan issued the following statement: “Wielding disaster relief as a political tool to score points during an election is despicable, but this is not the first time Trump has done this. Extreme weather does not discriminate based on who you voted for, and neither should our federal disaster response. As Gulf and Southern states brace for the first Atlantic hurricane of the year to make landfall, communities shouldn’t have to worry that they won’t get the help they need if they don’t vote for Trump’s preferred candidates.” 

Trump continues to  politicize disaster aid: 

• At a rally for Republicans in Ohio last week, Trump bragged that he had just approved millions of dollars in disaster aid for the state, even as 15 other disaster requests waited, including five submitted before Ohio’s.
• Trump announced that he had approved disaster aid for Wisconsin from tornadoes and severe storms while touting his endorsement of Tom Tiffany for Governor. Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers, who is a Democrat and had requested the aid, had heard nothing from Trump about this decision. 
• In a rally in North Carolina, Trump “joked” that he would withhold the remaining Hurricane Helene aid from the state if they did not elect Republican Michael Whatley to the Senate.
• Earlier this year, Trump rejected disaster aid requests from four Democratic-led states, just two days after approving aid for six Republican-led states.
• As of March 2026, it was three times harder for Democratic-led states to get Trump’s approval for federal disaster aid. Trump approved just 23% of disaster aid requests from Democratic-led states, compared to 89% for Republican-led states.
• Trump has taken longer to approve or deny federal disaster aid than previous administrations, especially for states where a majority did not vote for him.
• Trump has taken an average of 63 days to make decisions about Democratic states’ disaster assistance requests, but fewer than 40 days for Republican states’ requests.
• Under Trump, pending FEMA disaster applications have sat longer on average than at any other point in the previous 37 years.
• After the Los Angeles wildfires in 2025, Trump and Republican congressional leaders threatened to attach conditions to federal disaster aid to California.
• Trump politicized aid during his first term as well. Former administration officials claimed Trump treated disaster funding as a “pot of cash for him to dole out as he saw fit,” often dependent on how he was treated personally by politicians in the state.
• In 2020, Trump reportedly withheld federal relief to Washington following wildfires due to his dislike of Democratic Governor Jay Inslee.