Fact Check: "Washington state's disaster appeal for $30 million was denied by Trump."
What We Know
In late May 2025, the entire Washington delegation wrote to then-President Donald Trump regarding the denial of disaster aid funding for a bomb cyclone that hit the state in November 2024. The appeal detailed over $30 million in damages, which local governments could not shoulder alone. The letter emphasized the need for federal support through the Public Assistance Program and the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) (source). Subsequently, the Trump administration denied this appeal, stating that they were monitoring the approval of HMGP with states’ ability to execute those funds (source).
The Trump administration had a pattern of denying disaster mitigation funding requests from various states, including Oklahoma and Missouri, during his presidency. Reports indicated that the administration denied multiple requests for disaster assistance, which included funding for severe weather events (source, source).
Analysis
The claim that Washington state's disaster appeal for $30 million was denied by Trump is substantiated by multiple sources. The letter from the Washington delegation explicitly requested federal aid for damages exceeding $30 million, and the denial from the Trump administration was confirmed by The Seattle Times (source).
Moreover, the broader context of the Trump administration's approach to disaster funding reveals a systematic denial of such requests, particularly during a time when many states were grappling with severe weather impacts. The administration's rationale for these denials often revolved around budget constraints and a desire to reduce federal spending on disaster relief (source, source).
While some sources may exhibit bias—such as those focusing on political implications—the core facts regarding the denial of Washington's funding request are consistent across credible reports. The Trump administration's decisions were often scrutinized for their impact on states led by Democratic governors, which could suggest a political dimension to the funding denials (source).
Conclusion
The verdict on the claim that "Washington state's disaster appeal for $30 million was denied by Trump" is True. The evidence clearly indicates that the Trump administration did deny the funding request, as documented in communications from Washington state officials and corroborated by multiple news outlets.
