Maryland Gov. Wes Moore is alleging the Trump administration denied his state disaster assistance funding following the intense flooding that occurred in May.
Several Democrat-led states have accused the Trump administration of denying them federal assistance and on Wednesday, Moore accused the White House of taking a “you’re on your own” approach.
“The devastating floods that hit Western Maryland in May clearly met disaster assistance criteria established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). These communities demonstrated a clear need through FEMA’s own process, and Maryland will appeal the decision to seek all available resources to support the recovery efforts,” Moore said in the statement. “But the Trump Administration has denied our request for disaster assistance, with FEMA calling it 'not warranted.' They’re wrong. I will be appealing this decision as our state continues to help with rebuilding efforts.”
In a written response to The Hill, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson noted that states are required to do more of their own relief funding under the new administration.
“The President responds to each request for Federal assistance under the Stafford Act with great care and consideration, ensuring American tax dollars are used appropriately and efficiently by the states to supplement—not substitute, their obligation to respond to and recover from disasters,” Jackson said in an email. “The Trump administration remains committed to empowering and working with State and local governments to invest in their own resilience before disaster strikes, making response less urgent and recovery less prolonged,” she added.