In brief
This week, the Trump administration approved major disaster declarations for Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Washington to assist in recovery from recent weather events. The initiative, led by FEMA under Secretary Markwayne Mullin, promises federal support despite challenges posed by a prolonged DHS shutdown, which threatens to drain necessary resources and funds. More than a dozen other requests from various states remain pending, highlighting an ongoing effort by the administration to streamline disaster response, particularly ahead of the upcoming hurricane season.
The Trump administration approved major disaster declaration requests for at least seven states this week, according to information released Saturday by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), allowing affected communities to access federal support. About 15 requests for assistance from other states and tribes for extreme weather events this year and last seem to be pending, along with three appeals of previous denials.
Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Washington were granted major disaster declarations, which unlock federal support and funding for recovery needs such as public infrastructure repairs and aid for survivors.
The announcement, in a FEMA daily briefing document, comes weeks into Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s tenure overseeing the disaster relief agency and signals that he could ease some of the turmoil from previous leadership.
Nevertheless, FEMA’s work might be undermined by the ongoing DHS shutdown, which has now lasted for eight weeks. While disaster response and recovery can continue through a shutdown due to FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund, the funds are dwindling as the funding impasse continues. The DHS appropriations bill aims to replenish the fund with more than $26 billion.
Mullin indicated that he plans to brief Trump on the pending declaration requests, emphasizing his intention to expedite work on past disasters ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, set to begin June 1.
Despite the improvements, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson emphasized that Trump responds to such requests with great care, ensuring appropriate and efficient use of American tax dollars. She stated that the administration's goal is for state and local governments to invest in their resilience before disasters occur.
While some states have reported delays in obtaining approvals for disaster declarations, Maryland Governor Wes Moore expressed frustration over being denied necessary support for May 2025 flooding, despite evidence of significant damages. It's suggested that disaster declarations are ultimately at the president's discretion.
As communities brace for the challenges ahead, Mullin acknowledged during his visit to assess recovery work from Hurricane Helene that disasters are occurring continually.
