NEWS: Trump blocks disaster aid to Blue States, approves Red States
Your life is worth less to the president if you didn’t vote for him.
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT
The White House just granted emergency FEMA assistance to Red States hit by storms, but denied support to Blue States. Trump is now delivering essential, life-saving services based on politics — among his most reckless, un-Americans acts yet.
WHAT HAPPENED
President Trump just did one of the most dangerous things I warned about many years ago: he denied federal disaster aid to Americans who didn’t vote for him. Days ago, in response to requests for help after severe storms and flooding, his administration approved emergency declarations for Republican-leaning states like Alaska, Nebraska, and North Dakota, while rejecting pleas from Democratic-led states including Maryland, Illinois, and Vermont.
The approvals aligned with Trump’s electoral victories. On social media, he boasted of winning Alaska “BIG,” and called it an “honor” to help the “incredible Patriots” of another Red State.
Meanwhile, states that experienced millions in damage — and which FEMA itself said should qualify for federal aid — were shot down by the White House. In Maryland, Gov. Wes Moore said Trump had “politicized disaster relief,” and that the communities affected were left to pay the price. In Vermont, emergency director Eric Forand warned that some towns were so devastated that the cost to repair the roads alone was two years’ worth of their budgets.
Residents in these areas will now have to contend with flooded homes, damaged infrastructure, and budget uncertainty in the years to come, as their State leaders figure out what to do. Meanwhile, people in similar circumstances — who voted for Trump in 2024 — will be well on their way to new homes, new roads, and reimbursement for damages.
WHAT IT MEANS
If you live in a Blue State, you should no longer expect help from the federal government when you’re in danger. I can’t believe I’m writing that, but here we are. And it’s a preview of how federal disaster response overall is being transformed into a weapon of political revenge.
As I’ve written about previously, Trump floated “phasing out FEMA” and centralizing all decisions about where emergency aid goes within “the president’s office.” Officially, he’s not done that yet. Unofficially, he’s already inserting himself into emergency decisions to make sure his allies get cash and his enemies do not.
I’ve coordinated disaster relief decisions under two American presidents. This is meant to be a strictly nonpartisan process. Congress allocates the money to protect people — all people — in their moment of greatest need, wherever they are in the country, not punish them for how they voted. That’s all changed now.
It also doesn’t stop with disaster assistance. Just last month, I wrote about how his administration cut $233 million in counterterrorism funding for Blue States. In that case, the federal money was designated by Congress to help local governments stop terrorist attacks, prevent mass shootings, and save lives. Trump’s withholding from Blue States infuriated me.
I went on MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace to sound the alarm about it:
“It begs the question, Nicole, ‘is your life worth less because you live in a Blue State?’
Donald Trump seems to be saying again and again, he seems to be saying that the answer is ‘yes.’..Whether it’s your house burning down and the FEMA funds he wants to dangle to make you beg for them, or the counterterrorism funds or the violence prevention programs. All of those things…
This is the week that we got the complete picture of Donald Trump’s plan, which is to deprive Americans that live in places that don’t support him of their core government services.”
The side-by-side this week — with the Red States making similar requests that got approved, while the Blue States got denied — was especially damning. Actually, let’s take that a step further. It was nakedly unpresidential and decidedly un-American.
WHAT’S NEXT
As we go into next year, this trendline is going to be impossible to ignore.
On average, there are 50 to 100 disaster declarations a year around the country. As GOP areas get approved and more Democrat cities and states get denied, we’ll see pictures of ruined homes, destroyed communities, and Americans living out of temporary shelters, left behind by their government because of how they voted in the presidential election. Already there have been stories about people sleeping in their trucks because of delayed or denied FEMA assistance.
If that doesn’t piss people off, I don’t know what will.
In fact, Trump has already delayed or denied more requests for disaster assistance than any president in modern history, including in his own first term. An Associated Press analysis found he’s slower to act overall than any White House, and the reasons are becoming clearer. He’s been holding out on the Blue States to make them squirm, before ultimately telling them “no.”
We don’t need to wait for the next crisis to strike to know what’s going on. If disaster relief is now partisan, the real disaster is already here.
P.S. WHAT’S HAPPENING ON TREASON
Here’s what’s coming up.
TODAY / Mon, Oct 27 @ 3pm ET - The 2026 midterm fight begins w/ Senate Candidate Amy McGrath - She’s running for the open U.S. Senate seat in Kentucky, and she’s a fighter pilot with a laser-focus on democracy. Now is the time to start talking about how important the midterm elections are. You can join here.
Tues, Oct 28 @ 3pm ET - EXCLUSIVE - New Book Release - Autocrats vs. Democrats w/ Ambassador Michael McFaul - I will be welcoming former senior Obama official Michael McFaul for the official release of his new book, which you can pre-order online. His tome outlines America’s future on a turbulent world stage. You can join here.
BIG NEWS / Weds, Oct 29 @ 12noon ET - Subscribers Only - Weekly Wednesday Coffee - This will be a short weekly coffee, but there’s a reason. I’ll be arriving in NYC for a media announcement. But if you join for our quick coffee, you’ll be the first to know what it is. You can join here.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT / ex-CIA leader Sue Gordon - If you didn’t catch our conversation on Friday, I think you’ll want to. Replay available here.
Despicable. He claims to wants to save lives by blowing up boats of suspected drug dealers. He has no regard for life other than his own and people who kiss his ass.
Time for blue states to withhold their federal taxes. Blues states carry the load.
Once more I repeat: Blue states should keep the federal tax receipts to fund the programs that Trump is denying to them...including disaster relief. Those funds going to Red states are coming from Blue states. Once, I was OK with that. No longer.