Trump Denies Colorado's Disaster Aid Requests Again

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

Apr. 15, 2026 at 2:18am

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A serene, photorealistic painting of a solitary, damaged road sign in a rural Colorado landscape, with warm sunlight casting long shadows across the scene, conveying a sense of isolation and the impact of natural disasters on local infrastructure.The denial of federal disaster aid leaves Colorado communities to shoulder the costs of recovery alone, exposing the political tensions underlying the government's disaster response.Fort Collins Today

President Donald Trump has denied Colorado's requests for federal disaster aid to help with wildfires and flooding, consistent with his pattern of approving major disaster declarations for Republican-leaning states at about twice the rate as Democratic ones. Colorado's governor accused Trump of playing 'political games' with the decisions.

Why it matters

The denials of disaster aid to Colorado have raised concerns about potential political bias in the federal government's disaster declaration process. Critics argue the decisions unfairly burden Democratic-led states and their communities, delaying critical recovery efforts.

The details

Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, sought major disaster declarations from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to get reimbursement for debris cleanup, infrastructure rebuilding, and hazard mitigation funding after wildfires and floods in the state last year. Trump first denied the requests late in 2025, and upheld that decision on appeal this week after a 'thorough review' by FEMA. The administration defended the denials, saying it responds to each request with 'great care and consideration' to ensure federal funds are used appropriately.

  • In late 2025, Trump first denied Colorado's requests for disaster aid.
  • On April 15, 2026, Trump upheld the denial of Colorado's disaster aid requests on appeal.

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 disaster aid requests.

Karen S. Evans

The acting FEMA administrator who informed Governor Polis of the denials.

Abigail Jackson

A White House spokesperson who defended the administration's disaster aid decisions.

Andrew Rumbach

A senior fellow at the Urban Institute who analyzed FEMA's disaster declaration approval rates.

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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.”

— Andrew Rumbach, Senior fellow, Urban Institute

What’s next

Colorado's 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 over the denied disaster aid requests.

The takeaway

The denials of disaster aid to Colorado have fueled concerns about potential political bias in the federal government's disaster declaration process, with critics arguing the decisions unfairly burden Democratic-led states and their communities, delaying critical recovery efforts. The transparency and fairness of the process will likely remain a contentious issue.