Trump Approves Disaster Relief For 1,000-Year Milwaukee Storm

Debris picked up as part of the city’s post-flood bulky item pickup. Photo by Jeramey Jannene.

President Donald Trump is approving federal disaster relief for southeastern Wisconsin.

In a Truth Social messaged posted at approximately 2 p.m., Trump announced he is approving $29.8 million in federal aid for Wisconsin after a 1,000-year storm deluged Milwaukee and several surrounding communities on Aug. 9 and 10.

The northwest side of Milwaukee received almost 15 inches of rain in the storm, according to a Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District rain gauge.

Much of the damage resulted from flooding, with most of the affected property owners not having flood insurance. At least 54 homes in the city of Milwaukee have been declared uninhabitable, and at least 1,800 homes in the area sustained major damage.

FEMA had been surveying the area in recent weeks, and Governor Tony Evers had formally requested the disaster declaration.

However, the aid package appears to be far less than the local governments’ own costs for the cleanup. Milwaukee County’s Office of Emergency Management had tabulated a public cost of $52 million as of Aug. 29. The figure excludes Washington County, which was also hard hit. At a meeting Wednesday, a city Department of Public Works official said its costs alone exceed $5.7 million.

The announcement had an extreme partisan slant to it, with Trump even making the false assertion that he won the state’s 2020 presidential election.

“I just informed Senator Ron Johnson that, based on his request, I am approving $29.8 Million Dollars for the wonderful State of Wisconsin to help them recover from the major storms and flooding they experienced in August. We had Huge Victories in Wisconsin in 2016, 2020, and 2024, and it is my Honor to deliver BIG for Wisconsinites!” posted Trump.

“I just had a great call with [President Trump] who approved Wisconsin’s request for flood disaster relief. Thank you to President Trump for continuing to deliver BIG TIME for Wisconsinites. Also, thank you to [Bryan Steil] and [Scott Fitzgerald] for helping lead the charge to obtain the much-needed federal assistance,” posted Johnson on X.

In the past month, Congresswoman Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat, have been the most public in calling for federal aid. Steil and Fitzgerald had also publicly requested the disaster declaration.

All members of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation signed onto a joint letter in August requesting the disaster declaration.

Two individuals living on a riverbank were found after drowning. Three more unhoused individuals are still missing.

“The President’s social media post is welcome news for the people who have suffered in August’s flooding,” said Mayor Cavalier Johnson in a statement issued after this article was first published. “The damage was extensive, and Federal help is so important as our residents get their lives back on track. I appreciate all the work that’s been done to reach this point by the city, the county, the state, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. President Trump’s decision is a significant stride forward in this area’s recovery efforts.”

“After speaking on the House floor today advocating for federal help, I am thrilled that Governor Evers’ disaster declaration request was approved. These federal funds will help my constituents pick up the pieces, and I will keep fighting for the resources they need until they are made whole,” said Moore in a statement issued after this article was published.