Gov. Evers Slams President Trump and Trump Administration for Playing Politics With Disaster Relief, Pledges to Appeal Decision to Deny Wisconsin Disaster Relief
Trump Administration denies Gov. Evers’ request for public disaster assistance and hazard mitigation relief for Wisconsin communities hit by severe weather this spring
MADISON — Gov. Tony Evers today announced that the Trump Administration has denied Wisconsin’s application for Public Assistance for Bayfield, Manitowoc, Marathon, and Racine counties and Hazard Mitigation statewide after severe storms and flooding caused severe damage to public infrastructure in April. In a letter sent to the governor dated July 8, 2026, FEMA said the impact to infrastructure in these communities, in addition to the governor’s statewide request for Hazard Mitigation funding, apparently “is not of the severity and magnitude to warrant their designation for Public Assistance.” Counties that received Public Assistance include Iowa, Jackson, Jefferson, Juneau, Kewaunee, Outagamie, Rock, Vernon, and Waupaca Counties, and the Oneida Nation.
After the governor’s formal request in April, formal preliminary damage assessments were conducted by joint teams including FEMA, Wisconsin Emergency Management (WEM), and local officials, and those assessments validated more than $20 million in eligible disaster costs.
Gov. Evers today slammed President Donald J. Trump and the Trump Administration for continuing to play politics with federal disaster relief and pledging to appeal the decision to ensure Wisconsin communities receive the support they need to rebuild and recover. President Trump and the Trump Administration have repeatedly come under fire for slashing funding for emergency preparedness and response at FEMA while also prioritizing Republican-run states to receive disaster relief.
“Donald Trump is basically telling Wisconsinites that millions of dollars in damages our communities have suffered due to tornadoes, storms, and flooding isn’t bad enough or high enough—it’s a slap in the face. States including Wisconsin send our tax dollars to the federal government so that if we need them in an emergency, we can get the help and the support we need back home, but it’s clear Trump and his administration only care about states that help him politically, and that’s breathtaking,” said Gov. Evers. “We are going to continue to fight every day to get Wisconsin every cent we believe we are due. We will be appealing this decision, and I implore FEMA to reevaluate their findings and grant Wisconsin’s full request expeditiously and without any further delay.”
Formal preliminary damage assessments conducted by joint teams that included FEMA, WEM, and local officials validated more than $20 million in eligible disaster costs. Gov. Evers is now directing WEM to gather additional information and details on costs the public sector and certain private non-profit organizations incurred due to the April storms. Wisconsin has 30 days from the date of the denial letter to send its appeal.
The governor has been steadfast in his efforts to ensure the communities impacted by these severe weather events have the support and resources they need. On April 15, Gov. Evers declared a state of emergency in response to the severe weather that occurred across Wisconsin. Following this declaration, the first step needed to receive federal disaster aid and assistance, the governor announced he submitted a request for FEMA to assist the state in conducting a formal federal preliminary damage assessment of the damage caused by the extreme storms and flooding across the state. The governor’s request came as a result of Wisconsin Emergency Management’s reports that the initial state and local damage review suggested Wisconsin would meet the federal threshold to receive federal aid and assistance. On May 22, Gov. Evers requested a formal presidential disaster declaration from President Donald J. Trump.
This announcement comes as President Trump and his administration have still failed to justify their denial of federal Public Assistance to help communities respond to and recover from similar severe weather and flooding that occurred across the state in August 2025, causing over $27 million in damages to roads, public buildings, utilities, and community infrastructure despite the governor’s multiple attempts imploring the Trump Administration to reverse its decision. That’s why Gov. Evers sent a letter to members of Wisconsin’s Congressional delegation, urging lawmakers to stand up for Wisconsin communities, underscoring that public and persistent efforts to help advocate for Wisconsin to receive assistance from federal partners, including President Trump, will be key to securing the disaster aid needed.
Furthermore, Gov. Evers’ requests come as the president has faced recent pressure due to reports indicating that it is three times harder for Democratic-led states to get disaster funding under the Trump Administration than Republican-led states, with the Trump Administration rejecting disaster aid for Democratic-led states at the highest rate in the history of FEMA. Most recently, the Trump Administration denied $227 million in disaster aid relief for four Democratic-led states in response to the historic snowstorms that occurred in February in the Northeastern part of the nation. This action was just two days after President Trump approved aid relief for six Republican-led states.
NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.
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