Trump denies aid for Arkansas in the aftermath of storms

more than 40 people killed

Donald Trump on Thursday, April 24, 2025, denied federal disaster relief funds to the people of Arkansas.

This saw dozens of people die from a series of deadly tornados last month.

According to The Guardian, legislators are pleading with him to reconsider.

The CNN reports that more than 40 people have been found dead after a series of tornados and severe storms hit Arkansas.

The storms and tornados also affected neighboring states Mississippi and Missouri in March, according to CNN.

Given the scale of the disaster, the state’s Republican governor, Sarah Huckabee, requested federal disaster aid as a part of an emergency declaration.

That request was later denied by the Trump administration.

Huckabee and other Arkansas lawmakers have since publicly asked Trump to reconsider his decision.

Huckabee sent an appeal of the decision on 18 April.

US senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman of Arkansas and US Representative Rick Crawford also followed up with a letter to Trump.

In the letter they asked him to “reconsider the denial”.

The legislators wrote in a 21 April letter:

“As Governor Sanders noted in her request, these storms caused catastrophic damage across the state, resulting in disastrous amounts of debris, widespread destruction to homes and businesses, the deaths of three Arkansans, and injuries to many more,”

The letter continued:

“Given the cumulative impact and sheer magnitude of destruction from these severe weather events, federal assistance is vital to ensure that state and local communities have the capabilities needed to rebuild.”

The latest denial of disaster funding comes as Trump has repeatedly stated that he wants to overhaul and eliminate Fema.

In March, Trump signed an executive order for state and local governments to play a more active role in disaster relief.

“Preparedness is most effectively owned and managed at the state, local, and even individual levels, supported by a competent, accessible, and efficient federal government,” read the order.

“When states are empowered to make smart infrastructure choices, taxpayers benefit.”

Trump also ordered a review of Fema in January.

He stated in the letter:

“I say you don’t need Fema, you need a good state government,” while visiting the aftermath of the Los Angeles fires.

He added: “Fema is a very expensive, in my opinion, mostly failed situation.”

Critics of Trump’s position have argued that he is weakening the US’s disaster readiness.

This is especially as the global climate emergency makes natural disasters more likely and more intense.

Disaster management is also already in the hands of state and local municipalities, critics have noted.

Any additional elimination of FEMA would mean slashing federal funding that states rely on after disasters.

Fema is yet to issue further comment on this development.

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