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A2 u.s. news
Tuesday 4 February 2025
Who gets more disaster aid? Republican states.

Experts explain that and more about FEMA

By SETH BORENSTEIN capita. Those purple states
AP Science Writer have 15% of the country’s
WASHINGTON (AP) — Feder- population but get only 2.5%
al disaster aid is nearly every- of the FEMA aid.
where. About 94% of Ameri- Overall, states that voted for
cans live in a county that has Donald Trump in 2024 aver-
gotten Federal Emergency aged 15% less in FEMA funds
Management Agency help per person than those that
for disasters since 2011. voted for Kamala Harris, but
But disaster aid — for de- that’s mostly skewed by the
cades a mostly bipartisan six swing states of Nevada,
issue — is suddenly a po- Arizona, Pennsylvania, Wis-
litical hot button after Hur- consin, Michigan and Geor-
ricane Helene last year and gia that get less than their
this year’s California wildfires. share.
President Donald Trump and Red states with 42.7% of
a conservative think tank the population have 56.6%
have floated the possibility of of the number of federally
shifting disaster response to declared disasters and get
the states, including eliminat- half the FEMA aid. Blue states
ing FEMA or curtailing federal with 42.2% of the population
handouts. and 35.8% of the number of
Experts worry about that. disasters get 47.5% of the
“Most states don’t even A property owner who preferred not to give his name peers into the remains of the second floor FEMA aid.
unit where he lived with his wife while renting out the other units, on Manasota Key, in Englewood,
have the ability, including Fla., following the passage of Hurricane Milton, Oct. 13, 2024. The disaster-heavy states
Florida, to manage these Associated Press that former FEMA chief Fu-
disasters,” without federal gate calls his “frequent fliers”
money and help, said Craig millions in federal help — and are suffering whether you are cording to an Associated also tend to be more Repub-
Fugate. Fugate has been a a little more goes to Republi- a red state or blue state.” Press analysis of Rebuild by lican. About two-thirds of the
county emergency manager can states and congressional Since 2011, more than $68.2 Design’s data. top 15 states in total FEMA
in Florida, head of the state districts. billion in FEMA aid has been States that now have Repub- funds, FEMA spending per
of Florida’s disaster office un- New York University’s Rebuild spent on disasters that don’t lican governors have gotten person and number of fed-
der a Republican governor By Design, a nonprofit that include the pandemic or oil an average of $222 per per- erally declared disasters are
and director of FEMA under focuses on disaster preven- spills. And that’s payments son in FEMA aid since 2011 Republican. Those include
President Barack Obama. tion, created an atlas of just to governments, not with 475 federal declared Florida, Louisiana, Alaska,
Most states simply don’t have the 795 non-medical and people. Tens of billions more disasters in 27 states. The Tennessee, Oklahoma and
enough money to handle big non-technological federal came — mostly from Housing 23 states with Democratic Mississippi.
disasters, said Susan Cutter, disasters since 2011, which and Urban Development — governors average 15% less Twelve congressional districts
director of the University of they called climate disasters. to people needing individual at $193 per person over 320 have had at least a dozen
South Carolina’s Hazards It found that every state and help to rebuild. disasters. federally declared disasters
Vulnerability & Resilience all but a few hundred coun- States with Republican The six swing states that vot- since 2011; three-quarters
Institute. ties have been helped. governors or two Republi- ed for Joe Biden in 2020 and of them are represented by
“They’re going to suffer be- “It’s clear that climate is not can senators tend to have Donald Trump in 2024 – and Republicans. Those are in
cause they don’t have ca- a red or blue challenge,” more disasters and get slight- states with split U.S. Senate Kentucky, Louisiana, New
pacities to deal with it with- said Amy Chester, the atlas ly more money per person delegations – get consider- Hampshire, Oklahoma,
out federal help.” creator and Rebuild by De- than states with Democratic ably less FEMA aid per per- Texas, Vermont and West
Experts say every state gets sign’s director. “Communities governors and senators, ac- son, averaging only $35 per Virginia.q

Musk is a ‘special government

employee,’ the White House confirms

cording to a White House of- day morning, the headquar- up to 130 days. It's unclear
ficial, solidifying his contro- ters of the U.S. Agency for how standard rules on eth-
versial role in the administra- International Development ics agreements and finan-
tion but sidestepping some was abruptly shut down. cial disclosures will apply
disclosure rules that are typi- Musk's team, known as the to Musk, who has billions of
cal of federal workers. Department of Government dollars in federal contracts
The official, speaking Mon- Efficiency, also has received with SpaceX, his rocket com-
day on the condition of ano- access to sensitive payment pany.
nymity to discuss personnel systems at the U.S. Treasury Musk does not receive a
matters, said that Musk has Department. paycheck for his work, the
a government email ad- Democrats fear that Musk is White House official said.
Elon Musk arrives on stage to speak at an indoor Presidential
Inauguration parade event in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, dress and office space in consolidating power within Under federal guidelines, it's
2025. the White House complex. the federal government, unlikely that he will need to
Associated Press Musk, the world's richest acting without accountabil- file a public financial disclo-
man, has been granted ity and potentially against sure report. The official did
By CHRIS MEGERIAN Musk is working for President broad latitude by Trump to the law. Special government not provide additional de-
Associated Press Donald Trump as a "special reduce the size of the fed- employees are usually ap- tails apart from saying that
WASHINGTON (AP) — Elon government employee," ac- eral government. On Mon- pointed to their position for Musk is following the law.q