President Donald Trump has again denied a request from Colorado's governor to assist individuals impacted by wildfires and flooding, continuing a pattern of approving disaster aid for Republican-leaning states at nearly double the rate for Democratic ones.
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abcnews.comaudacy.comGovernor Jared Polis, a Democrat, sought major disaster declarations for wildfires that devastated 240 square miles (615 square kilometers) in western Colorado and for floods that affected mountain communities in the southern part of the state the previous year.
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audacy.comkiro7.comPolis requested Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) public assistance, which allows communities to receive reimbursement for debris cleanup and infrastructure rebuilding, along with hazard-mitigation funding to bolster resilience against future disasters.
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kiro7.comTrump's initial denial of Colorado's requests occurred late last year.Recently, he upheld that decision upon appeal after what FEMA acting administrator Karen S.Evans described as a "thorough review." However, the letters informing Polis of the decision did not provide detailed explanations for the denials.
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abcnews.comaudacy.comPolis expressed disappointment, stating that Colorado communities had acted promptly to document damage and collaborate with federal officials, emphasizing that the disasters inflicted significant harm to homes, infrastructure, and local economies.
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audacy.comkiro7.comWhile FEMA evaluates damage through specific formulas to gauge the potential impact on states and local areas, the ultimate authority to grant disaster declarations rests with the president.
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abcnews.comkiro7.comIn December, after Trump's first rejection of Colorado's request, Polis accused him of engaging in "political games" regarding disaster declarations.
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audacy.comWhite House spokesperson Abigail Jackson countered these accusations, asserting that the administration approaches each request with "great care and consideration" to ensure appropriate and efficient use of federal resources.
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audacy.comwftv.comJackson emphasized that Trump provides a more comprehensive review of disaster requests than any previous administration.
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kiro7.comThis pattern of denial has sparked complaints from other Democratic-led states that have also been turned down despite demonstrating need.
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abcnews.comaudacy.comAn analysis of public FEMA data by Andrew Rumbach, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute, revealed that nearly 84% of disaster requests from Trump-supporting states have been approved during his second term, while only about 42% of requests from states that backed Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 election received approval.
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abcnews.comwftv.comRumbach noted the ambiguity surrounding whether political considerations significantly influenced these decisions, suggesting that the limited number of requests—around 60—might not provide a definitive picture of political bias.
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audacy.comkiro7.comHe stressed the importance of transparency from FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) regarding their decision-making processes.
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wftv.comThe rejections have drawn criticism from Democratic governors, including Wes Moore of Maryland and JB Pritzker of Illinois, who characterized Trump's refusal to assist Illinois after August 2025 floods as a politically charged decision that adversely affects thousands of families in need.
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kiro7.comwftv.comAdditionally, Colorado's attorney general, Phil Weiser, has voiced opposition to various recent federal decisions detrimental to the state, such as disbanding a climate research lab, threatening cuts to transportation funding, withholding aid for needy families, and relocating the US Space Command to Alabama.
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abcnews.comaudacy.comCritics have pointed out that many communities are experiencing unprecedented delays in receiving responses to their disaster aid requests during Trump's second term, which can exacerbate challenges faced by rural towns and counties with limited budgets.
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audacy.comkiro7.comIn response, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin pledged to address the backlog of requests ahead of the Atlantic hurricane season, which commences on June 1.
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wftv.comAs Trump continues to navigate these contentious disaster aid decisions, the implications for Colorado and other states remain significant, raising concerns about the intersection of politics and disaster relief.
