Overview
- An Associated Press analysis published in mid‑July 2026 found President Trump now takes about six weeks on average to approve major disaster declarations, the longest pace of any president since 1989.
- Since returning to office in 2025, Trump has approved roughly 65 major disaster declarations and rejected more than two dozen requests from states, tribes, and territories.
- The AP analysis shows a clear partisan gap with about 80% approval for requests from Republican governors and about 60% for Democratic governors, and an even wider split when measured by states that did or did not vote for him in 2024.
- A cluster of recent denials rejected aid after a February snowstorm in New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, prompting appeals from state officials and congressional demands for records and oversight.
- A Trump-appointed FEMA review council has proposed changing the criteria for declarations and lowering the federal cost share, and FEMA nominee Cameron Hamilton has told senators he will seek faster, more objective decisions if confirmed.