Summary
An analysis by the Associated Press found that it is taking longer for U.S. presidents to approve disaster aid. In the past decade, the average wait time has increased from approximately two weeks to over a month. This affects people waiting for help to rebuild their lives after disasters.
Key Facts
- Buddy Anthony waited weeks for disaster aid after a tornado destroyed his home.
- Over the past decade, the approval time for presidential disaster declarations increased to about three weeks on average.
- Under President Donald Trump, the average wait has increased to more than a month.
- Delays in disaster aid can slow down recovery efforts and create uncertainty for local officials.
- The AP analysis showed that this trend of delays has grown over time regardless of political party.
- Major disaster declarations require a request from a state, territory, or tribe and are intended for severe events.
- Trump has approved more than two dozen major disaster declarations with varying wait times.
- A public poll showed that about three-fourths of people expect the U.S. government to play a major role in disaster recovery.
