Donald Trump's former press secretary and Arkansas Governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, who campaigned for him, pleads for disaster relief funds, but the President just rejects it

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders has again pleaded US president Donald Trump, her former boss, for federal disaster assistance after tornadoes ravaged her state in March, as per a report.

Arkansas Governor Calls for Federal Support

Sanders, the former White House press secretary under Trump's first term, had initially requested the US president in March after storms hit Arkansas and had killed three people, according to the Independent.

She had declared a state of emergency in March and asked Trump to declare a major disaster so the state could secure a federal handout, reported the Independent.


However, the Trump administration had dismissed Sanders' request at that time and had responded by saying that the damage could be handled by the state, according to the report.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders Appeals Again to Trump After Initial Rejection

Even after the rejection, Sanders and the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management, appealed to Trump, and again requested on April 18 by asking the US president that Arkansas is “in dire need of federal assistance,” as quoted by the Independent.

Sanders wrote to him in a letter, saying, “The severe storms and tornadoes that occurred on March 14 and 15, 2025, produced catastrophic impacts across the state. The sheer magnitude of this event resulted in overwhelming amounts of debris, widespread destruction to homes and businesses, the tragic loss of three lives, and injuries to many others,” quoted the Independent.

She even mentioned that a second wave of severe weather hit Arkansas less than three weeks later, as per the report. The Governer said, “Given the cumulative impact of these events, federal assistance is essential to help our communities recover,” as quoted in the report.

Trump’s Proposal to Dismantle FEMA

The rejection comes as reports emerge that Trump is mulling dismantling FEMA, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which historically responds to all kinds of natural disasters and other emergencies across the United States, as per Independent. The US president is considering to leave the task of responding to emergencies up to individual state governments, reported the Independent.

FAQs

Did Trump approve Sanders' request?
No. The Trump administration rejected the request and said the state could handle the disaster on its own.

What’s happening to FEMA under Trump?
Reports say Trump is considering dismantling FEMA and leaving disaster response up to each state.