Denver, CO — Colorado Gov. Jared Polis publicly challenged President Donald Trump on Saturday after FEMA denied two major disaster declaration requests for Colorado, covering the Elk and Lee wildfires and southwestern Colorado flooding. The denials were conveyed in letters issued late Saturday, prompting Polis—joined by U.S. Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper—to vow an appeal and to press for federal assistance that they say Coloradans deserve regardless of politics.
Polis said the administration’s decision to deny the declarations amounted to political games that could delay crucial aid for residents still dealing with wildfire damage and flood-related impacts across the state. Bennet and Hickenlooper echoed the call for relief, saying the state would pursue all available avenues to secure federal help to support individuals, households, and local governments affected by the Elk and Lee fires and the broader southwestern Colorado flooding.
Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, defended the decisions on Friday and Saturday, insisting there was no politicization and emphasizing careful, efficient use of federal funds. The White House also noted that the administration has been reviewing FEMA’s role and, in broader terms, Trump has floated ideas about phasing out or restructuring the agency as part of a larger overhaul of federal disaster response.
The governors and senators stressed that disaster assistance, when promptly provided, can make a tangible difference for Coloradans who suffered losses from the fires and floods. Polis and his allies pledged to appeal the decision, arguing that delaying federal support undermines communities already grappling with recovery costs and housing disruptions.
This episode unfolds as Western wildfire seasons and flooding events continue to stress state resources and federal responders, with Coloradans watching how quickly relief dollars may be released and how the federal-state coordination will unfold in the weeks ahead.
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