Trump used disaster aid as a political weapon, say former officials

Donald Trump withheld federal disaster aid to regions he considered politically hostile while in office, and several former administration officials warn he will do so again if re-elected.

Oliver Milman reports for The Guardian.

In short:

Trump allegedly refused to release disaster aid to states like California and Puerto Rico during his presidency due to political reasons.
The aid was delayed until advisers convinced him it would benefit areas with Republican voters.
Experts fear Trump would face fewer restraints in withholding aid in a future presidency.

Key quote:

"Trump absolutely didn’t want to give aid to California or Puerto Rico purely for partisan politics – because they didn’t vote for him."

— Kevin Carroll, former senior counselor to former homeland security secretary John Kelly

Why this matters:

Disaster relief is supposed to help all citizens, but Trump’s use of aid for political gain raises concerns about impartiality in future emergency responses. With climate change increasing the frequency of natural disasters, reliable federal support is critical.

www.theguardian.com

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