Denouncing Trump’s Politicization of Disaster Aid, RI Delegation Vows to Continue Pressing for Merit-based Reimbursement from Historic Feb. Blizzard

PROVIDENCE, RI – Despite the fact that a historic February 2026 blizzard met and surpassed the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) threshold for federal assistance, the Trump Administration on Wednesday rejected appeals from Rhode Island and other ‘Blue states’ that requested a Major Disaster Declaration. Between February 22-23, 2026, Rhode Island was struck by a record-breaking blizzard that dumped 37.9 inches of snow in a 24-hour period and the state experienced wind gusts of 74 miles per hour.  The winter storm hit Rhode Island with the intensity of a Category 2 hurricane, caused severe power outages for tens of thousands of Rhode Islanders, and tragically resulted in two fatalities and hundreds of emergency room visits.  The storm created immense challenges for local businesses, which faced prolonged closures due to storm-related damage and disruptions to transportation, utilities, and public services. In the aftermath of the blizzard, Rhode Island officials worked directly with FEMA to document over $19 million in direct storm damages eligible for federal reimbursement. On July 2, President Trump denied Rhode Island’s request for a Major Disaster Declaration the same week he announced more than $846 million in disaster relief funds for nine Republican-leaning states.  Rhode Island appealed.  On September 2, FEMA officially informed Rhode Island that the state’s appeal for a Major Disaster Declaration for the February blizzard had been rejected. Today, the state’s Congressional delegation denounced President Trump’s politicization of disaster aid and vowed to continue pressing the Trump Administration to follow the law and grant the state’s request based on the merits. U.S. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse and U.S. Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo issued a joint statement: “The damage to Rhode Island from this historic storm is clear and it far surpassed the threshold for federal aid. “The denial of disaster aid is unfair and unjust, but this isn’t over.  We will continue to pursue a fair outcome and are putting the Trump White House and FEMA officials on notice that they should preserve all records and electronic communications surrounding this matter.  We believe there is evidence that will show Rhode Island was unfairly denied assistance based on partisan reasons. “Rhode Island and other so-called ‘Blue’ states didn’t fail to meet federal requirements.  Instead, President Trump simply ignored every federal benchmark and threshold and is trying to unfairly punish people who didn’t vote for him. “This isn’t just about a reimbursement, it’s about whether the future of U.S. disaster aid shifts from a merit-based process to a partisan political one. “When a storm strikes, our emergency personnel always step up and prioritize public safety.  It is shameful that President Trump wants to politicize disaster assistance and deny well-documented reimbursement to states that deserve it.  This may have been the final FEMA appeal, but it is far from the end of this matter.  We will continue pursuing this and demanding justice and fairness for Rhode Island and accountability from this Administration.” In March, Politico reported that “It’s 3 times harder for blue states to get disaster funding under Trump” and in July Politico noted that President Trump overruled FEMA’s decision to send financial aid to Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New York – all of which voted for Kamala Harris in the last presidential election — for costs associated with the record-breaking storm. To counter Trump’s unfair, unwarranted politicization of federal emergency management decisions, Senators Reed and Whitehouse introduced the Disaster Relief Fairness Act ( S.5018 ).