Trump Is Now Screwing Over Republicans in Need of Disaster Relief

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is begging President Donald Trump to reconsider the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) denial of an emergency disaster declaration to aid in the recovery from a series of destructive tornadoes and storms that ravaged the red state in March. 

Sanders, a former White House press secretary to Trump, wrote a lengthy letter last week to her ex-boss detailing the damage caused by the storms and begging him reconsider FEMA’s denial. 

“The severe storms and tornadoes that occurred on March 14 and 15, 2025, produced catastrophic impacts across the state. The sheer magnitude of this event resulted in overwhelming amounts of debris, widespread destruction to homes and businesses, the tragic loss of three lives and injuries to many others. Less than three weeks later, Arkansas was once again devastated by a second wave of severe storms, tornadoes, and a generational flooding event,” Sanders wrote in her appeal. “Without the support of a Major Disaster Declaration, Arkansas will face significant challenges in assuming full responsibility and achieving an effective recovery from this event. I have determined that the severity and magnitude of these storms exceed the capabilities of the State and affected local governments to respond adequately. As such, supplemental Federal assistance is crucial.”

It’s unsurprising that states are already struggling to get disaster-recovery aid under the second Trump administration. In January, Trump floated eliminating the agency entirely. Last month, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem promised to “eliminate FEMA,” on the heels of a series of so-called Department of Government Efficiency-fueled layoffs at the agency. 

During his first term, Trump had a habit of setting up roadblocks to states requesting disaster-relief aid depending on his personal relationship with — or the politics of — their leadership. The president once held out on approving aid funds for regions of California scorched by wildfires until staff presented him with evidence that people in the affected areas were actually his fans. In another instance, he ignored requests from Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, for funds to respond to a series of wildfires in 2020. 

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During the 2024 election cycle, Trump falsely accused FEMA and the Biden administration of “stealing” billions in disaster aid to support undocumented migrants, while leaving parts of North Carolina devastated by Hurricane Helene to fend for themselves. 

When wildfires ravaged Los Angeles earlier this year, the president and his GOP allies floated conditioning aid to California with compliance to their own policy and ideological goals. These included forcing the implementation of Voter ID laws, and crackdowns on immigration. 
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Trump and Republicans have been salivating at the idea of eliminating the agency — because they think it would save money, or they want states to handle their own disaster relief, or both. But as Sanders wrote in her plea to Trump, Arkansas is unable to handle the recovery effort without federal funds. The thing about natural disasters is that they don’t have any conception of state lines, nor do they check your voter registration before leveling your house, which is why an agency like FEMA exists to coordinate the response to disasters that span multiple states, some of which might not have the resources to combat the destruction.

While Trump and Noem are making hay over their plans to destroy FEMA, members of their own party are begging them to stand down.