Trump Denies Colorado's Disaster Aid Requests Again

Governor Polis accuses the president of playing 'political games' with disaster declarations.

Apr. 14, 2026 at 8:56pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

A serene, cinematic painting depicting a lone, weathered emergency vehicle parked on a deserted urban street, the vehicle's faded paint and cracked windows conveying a sense of neglect and abandonment, reflecting the political tensions surrounding disaster aid allocation.As partisan politics increasingly influence disaster relief decisions, communities in need are left to shoulder the costs alone.Fort Collins Today

President Donald Trump has denied Colorado's requests for federal disaster aid to help communities affected by wildfires and flooding, despite the state's governor, Jared Polis, documenting the damage and working in good faith with federal officials. This is the second time Trump has rejected Colorado's requests, which Polis says is 'incredibly disappointing' and leaves Coloradans to shoulder the costs alone.

Why it matters

The denials of disaster aid requests have become a point of contention, with Democratic-led states accusing the Trump administration of playing politics with the process. An analysis shows Trump has approved major disaster declarations for Republican-leaning states at about twice the rate as Democratic ones, raising questions about the fairness and transparency of the decision-making.

The details

Colorado requested FEMA public assistance to help with debris cleanup and infrastructure rebuilding, as well as hazard-mitigation funding to build back more resiliently after wildfires and floods. FEMA assessed the damage, but the final decision rested with President Trump, who upheld his previous denial of the requests after a 'thorough review.' The administration claims the decisions are not political, but rather aim to ensure federal funds are used appropriately.

  • In late 2025, Colorado Governor Jared Polis first requested federal disaster aid for the wildfires and floods.
  • In December 2025, President Trump denied Colorado's initial requests for aid.
  • In April 2026, Trump upheld the denial of Colorado's aid requests on appeal after a 'thorough review.'

The players

Jared Polis

The Democratic governor of Colorado who requested federal disaster aid for his state.

Donald Trump

The former president who denied Colorado's requests for disaster aid, despite the state documenting the damage and working with federal officials.

Karen S. Evans

The FEMA acting administrator who informed Governor Polis of the denial of Colorado's disaster aid requests.

Abigail Jackson

A White House spokesperson who defended the administration's disaster aid decisions as not being politically motivated.

Andrew Rumbach

A senior fellow at the Urban Institute who analyzed FEMA data and found that disaster aid requests from states that voted for Trump were approved at nearly twice the rate as those that voted for the 2024 Democratic presidential candidate.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“These disasters caused real damage to homes, infrastructure, and local economies, and Coloradans should not be left to shoulder these costs alone.”

— Jared Polis, Governor of Colorado

“President Trump provides a more thorough review of disaster declaration requests than any administration has before him.”

— Abigail Jackson, White House spokesperson

“These are definitely questions worth asking, but I haven't reached a conclusion that there's clear political bias going on here. That's why it's really important that FEMA and DHS be as transparent as possible about how they're making these decisions.”

— Andrew Rumbach, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute

What’s next

Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has been pushing back against other recent federal decisions against the state, including dissolving a climate research lab, threatening to cut transportation money, withholding funds for needy families, and relocating the U.S. Space Command to Alabama. The state may pursue legal action or further appeals regarding the denied disaster aid requests.

The takeaway

The denials of disaster aid requests to Democratic-led states like Colorado have become a point of contention, raising questions about the fairness and transparency of the decision-making process. The Trump administration's pattern of approving aid for Republican-leaning states at a higher rate has led to accusations of playing politics with disaster relief, underscoring the need for clear, nonpartisan criteria and oversight in the allocation of federal disaster assistance.