Trump’s Hurricane Season Plan: Withhold Federal Disaster Relief
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Washington, D.C. — It’s hurricane season, and Donald Trump told reporters he plans to choose who gets federal disaster relief and give out less aid. Trump has a long history of politicizing and withholding disaster aid from people he thought did not vote for him. Trump has gutted our federal disaster response – making it harder for communities to qualify for relief and leaving us unprepared for hurricane season.
Climate Power Co-Chair and Former Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued the following statement:
“Trump plays politics with disaster relief, and American families pay the price. Trump wants to pick and choose which Americans get disaster relief based on who they voted for. Withholding federal aid means more families living under blue tarps for years, it means fewer fixed roads and bridges, shuttered schools, and so much more. I’ve seen firsthand that Trump is more than willing to withhold aid to a state because he didn’t like the way they voted in the last election. Punishing people for their vote is dangerous and un-American. Trump’s plan: more fires, less money to put them out, less money to rebuild torched homes, and then trust the arsonist. No thanks.”
Trump has a history of withholding disaster relief:
- In April, Trump denied disaster relief from a bomb cyclone in Washington state.
- After a series of severe storms and tornadoes killed more than 40 people in March, Trump denied aid to tornado survivors in Arkansas after Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders begged for relief.
- In January, Trump threatened to withhold wildfire aid from Los Angeles until California changed its policies.
- Trump has a long history of politicizing disaster recovery — blocking Congressionally approved aid from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria, and withholding wildfire aid from both California and Washington during his first term.