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Disaster aid approved for seven states, others wait for a decision

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Published  April 13, 2026 5:21pm EDT
Politics
FOX Local
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FILE-A member of the FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force searches a flood-damaged property with a search canine in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene along the Swannanoa River on October 4, 2024 in Asheville, North Carolina. (Photo by Mario Tama/G

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The Brief 

    • Montana, South Carolina, and Alaska are among seven states that were approved for disaster relief by the Trump administration. 
    • Several other states affected by severe weather events are still waiting for their request to receive funding from the White House. 
    • The Department of Homeland Security is working to speed up its disaster response before the start of hurricane season in June. 

The Trump administration approved disaster relief for seven states but requests from roughly 15 other states and tribes for financial assistance for severe weather events this year and 2025 are still pending. 

News of the funding comes weeks into Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s tenure managing the disaster relief agency as he pushes to expedite the disaster response ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, which starts June 1. 

Which states were approved for federal disaster relief?

Local perspective:

The Federal Emergency Management Agency told the Associated Press that Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Washington were granted major disaster declarations, which can unlock federal support and funding for recovery needs such as public infrastructure repairs and aid for survivors.

Hawaii Governor Josh Green said his state received a disaster declaration for flooding in March, the AP noted. 

RELATED: Trump’s executive order gives states more control during disaster response

President Donald Trump refined previous disaster declarations for Tennessee and Mississippi, adding more counties for individual assistance after a severe winter storm in January.

Separately, Arizona has waited almost three months for an answer to its disaster relief appeal after being denied support for severe storms and flooding that happened in September 2025. 

RELATED: What is FEMA? The Federal Emergency Management Agency explained

Meanwhile, other states have complained about being denied disaster declarations despite proving they require the funding. 

The AP noted that Maryland Gov. Wes Moore called Trump's decision "deeply frustrating" after the president twice denied the state's request for support for flooding in May 2025 despite a FEMA assessment showing over $33 million in damages.

FEMA evaluates damage and uses a formula to assess the impact on states and local areas, but disaster declarations are at the president’s discretion.

The Source: Information for this story was provided by The Associated Press. This story was reported from Washington, D.C.


 

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