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Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, on Sunday accused President Donald Trump of playing “political games” after the federal government denied disaster declaration requests following wildfires and flooding this year in the Centennial State.
The governor received two denial letters from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) late on Saturday.
The letters came after Polis’ requests for major disaster declarations following wildfires and mudslides in August and what Polis called “historic flooding” across southwest Colorado in October.
Polis denounced the administration’s denials and said the state would appeal the decision.
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“Coloradans impacted by the Elk and Lee fires and the flooding in Southwestern Colorado deserve better than the political games President Trump is playing,” the governor said in a statement.
Colorado’s two U.S. senators, Democrats Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, also blasted the administration for the denials.
“FEMA’s denial of Colorado’s request for federal disaster assistance is unacceptable,” Bennet wrote on X. “Western Colorado communities need help recovering after the historic flooding and wildfires this year, and federal assistance should be available to every state and county that needs it.”
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“I will take every available step to appeal this decision,” he added.
Hickenlooper wrote: “This isn’t a game. These are people’s lives.”
“Coloradans are trying to rebuild their lives after fires and floods destroyed homes and communities across our state,” he continued. “Trump’s decision to reject our disaster requests, and therefore withhold resources as our communities continue to recover, is unacceptable.”
White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson claimed there was “no politicization” in the administration’s decisions on disaster relief.
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Jackson said Trump responds to each request for federal disaster assistance “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.”
Trump has suggested the possibility of “phasing out” FEMA, saying he wants states to take more responsibility. States already lead the government response after disasters, but officials may seek federal assistance when the needs exceed what they can manage on their own.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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