Donald Trump’s politicization of federal disaster relief funds has become one of the most important scandals of his second term. The president could at least try to keep up appearances and make it seem as if the White House is approaching the issue in a vaguely responsible way, but with nine weeks remaining before the midterm elections, the Republican is instead leaning into his abuses.
Late Tuesday afternoon, for example, over the course of roughly an hour, he used his social media platform to announce seven disaster relief requests that he had just approved. Their similarities were hardly subtle:
- Iowa: Trump announced that he has approved $5 million in disaster funds for the state, while adding, in reference to the GOP’s U.S. Senate nominee, “I just spoke to the future Senator (Hopefully!) from the Great State of Iowa, Ashley Hinson. … I love Iowa, and won it BIG all three times, by Record Margins.”
- Kentucky: He announced that he has approved $9.1 million in relief aid for the state, while adding, “I just informed Andy Barr, who is running to be the next Senator from the incredible Commonwealth of Kentucky. … Vote for Andy Barr — He has my Complete and Total Endorsement, and he will never let you down!”
- South Dakota: Trump announced that he has approved $3.4 million in disaster funds for the state, while specifically touting Gov. Larry Rhoden, a Republican who’s running for re-election this year. The same online statement added, “South Dakota is a special place, which I won by Historic Margins, three times, and I will always deliver BIG for them!”
- Missouri: He announced that he has approved $19.9 million in relief aid for the state, adding, “The people of Missouri are tough, smart, and truly Great Patriots — I will never let you down!”
- Kansas: Trump announced that he has approved more than $20 million in disaster funds for the state and said of a GOP incumbent who’ll be on the ballot this year, “I just informed Senator Roger Marshall, who has my Complete and Total Endorsement.”
- North Dakota: He announced that he has approved $3.4 million in relief aid for the state, before signing off, “I love the people of North Dakota, which I won BIG all three times. MAGA!”
- Texas: Trump announced that he has approved $50.5 million in disaster funds for the state, before touting a slate of GOP candidates: “I just informed Governor Greg Abbott, of the GREAT State of Texas (who has my Complete and Total Endorsement for Re-Election!) … Texas is a special place, and I will be back soon to support Governor Abbott, Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton for U.S. Senate, and the entire ticket of Republican Candidates, who have my Complete and Total Endorsement. See you soon!”
On the one hand, White House officials have repeatedly argued, on the record, that there’s “no politicization to the president’s decisions on disaster relief,” and that Trump handles disaster requests “with great care.”
On the other hand, the president has a habit of including endorsements for Republican candidates while approving disaster funds, explicitly connecting campaign messages to aid requests in ways without precedent in the American tradition.
What’s more, he keeps doing this, having taken identical steps in July and then again in August.
This latest example comes roughly a month after Politico reported that federal officials in the Trump administration recommended disaster aid for three Democratic-led states — New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island — only to have the president ignore the recommendations and reject the requests.
There’s also the data: The Associated Press reported in July on a data analysis that showed Trump has denied aid to Democratic-led states in disproportionate ways, which dovetailed with a Politico report from March that pointed to the administration’s own statistics and concluded that the incumbent president “has rejected disaster aid for Democratic-run states at the highest rate in the 47-year history of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.”
“Never in my lifetime has a president treated disaster relief as a political cudgel,” said Washington Sen. Patty Murray, the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, in response to the data. “What President Trump has done to politicize disaster relief and hold up support for Americans who need it … is frankly unforgivable.”
The senator made those comments in early July. The problem is even worse now.
This post updates our related earlier coverage.
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