Outside the Beltway

In Front of Our Noses: Abuse of Power for Partisan Aims

Trump has been basing disaster funding to states based on local partisan control.

Steven L. Taylor · Sunday, March 29, 2026 · 2 comments

“To see what is in front of one’s nose needs a constant struggle.”-George Orwell.

For previous entries, click here.

Via Politico (It’s 3 times harder for blue states to get disaster funding under Trump) comes this remarkable chart:

President Donald Trump has rejected disaster aid for Democratic-run states at the highest rate in the 47-year history of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

He approved just 23 percent of disaster funding requests from states with a Democratic governor and two Democratic senators since returning to office 14 months ago. For states with a Republican governor and two Republican senators, it’s the opposite — Trump has approved 89 percent of their requests.

This directly lines up with his rhetoric, wherein he talks like he is only the president of Republicans, and that Democrats are the enemy.

This is not how presidents should act. And yet, here we are.

There are a number of telling details in the piece, which is worth a full read.