Polis asks Trump for $27 million in flood aid after he denied Colorado's 2025 request

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis asked President Trump on Saturday, Oct. 31, for a major disaster declaration after floods hit southern Colorado. State and federal teams have counted almost $27 million in eligible public damage so far ¹⁴. A declaration would release money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA ³.

This is Colorado's second flood request to Trump in about a year. He turned down the first, for October 2025 flooding in Archuleta, La Plata and Mineral counties, and the appeal was also denied ⁵. Archuleta County is part of the new request too, along with Rio Grande County ³.

Asked whether Trump would say yes this time, Polis said the request plainly meets the criteria, but he did not predict the outcome ².

With this president, nobody really knows.

What the floods did

The storms ran from Oct. 22 to 25 ⁴. About 1,000 people evacuated, and responders rescued 48 people and 31 animals ¹. In Archuleta County, about 800 structures were affected, including 540 homes, and about 150 miles of county roads were impassable ¹.

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As of Saturday, about 100 homes in the county still could not be reached ¹. More rain, snow and flood risk were forecast through Monday, and recovery is expected to take many months ¹.

What Colorado is asking for

The request lists $26.989 million in eligible costs, counting only sites that teams could safely inspect ⁴. That includes about $10.6 million for local roads, bridges and culverts, $8.59 million for parks and recreation, $4.16 million for emergency protective measures and $2.44 million for public utilities ⁴. Polis said, "The final amount I'm confident will be much higher than $27 million," and other counties may be added later ¹³.

If the request is granted, FEMA would pay 75% of the cost of repairing water and waste systems, county roads, dams and other public property ¹. By our arithmetic, 75% of the damage counted so far would be roughly $20 million. The state is also seeking hazard mitigation grants, which pay for projects that reduce future damage, such as larger culverts ⁴.

This request does not include FEMA aid for individual households. Damage checks on homes and private property are still underway, and any request for that help would come later ⁴. Polis said insurance is the first option for homeowners ¹.

Highway repairs are a separate track. The Colorado Department of Transportation asked for about $65 million on Oct. 28, and the Federal Highway Administration approved $6.5 million in quick-release money two days later ⁴.

Last year's answer, and what it cost

The October 2025 flooding left more than $13 million in jointly verified infrastructure damage, including more than 60 miles of destroyed road, the state reported ⁵. FEMA denied the request on Dec. 20, 2025. A letter dated April 10, 2026, rejected the appeal, saying federal help was not warranted ⁵. The state's emergency management director described it as the first such denial in 35 years ⁵.

"Neither denial letter provided a reason for the denial determination," James Dickhoff, development director for the Town of Pagosa Springs, wrote in an email to the local paper ⁵. Archuleta County Commissioner Warren Brown still wants an explanation ¹.

If we did something wrong, tell us,

That matters because the two floods are connected, in Brown's telling. "We saw more damage and devastation this year," he said, "not only because it was a larger storm, but because we had not had the ability, or the funding," "to bring our roads back to a standard that would have made them more durable." ¹

The numbers show the strain. Archuleta County's road budget is about $7 million, while its costs from the 2025 flood topped $13.29 million ⁵. The damage counted in this year's two-county request is already about double the 2025 verified figure, and the count is still growing ¹⁵.

The political backdrop

Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, has accused the administration of something larger. In an Aug. 20 letter, he asked Senate leaders to investigate whether federal agencies, grants and staff were used to pressure Colorado over Tina Peters, a former Mesa County clerk convicted in 2024 of charges tied to a breach of the county's elections system ⁹. He counted the two FEMA denials among the actions that followed a December 2025 White House email about Colorado ⁹.

Bennet wrote that the president, unable to accomplish his objective legally, resorted to a campaign of coercion ⁹. That is his allegation, not a finding. Polis granted Peters a limited commutation in May, and she was paroled effective June 1 ⁹. Trump approved aid for Colorado's Aspen Acres fire this summer ¹. The timing alone does not prove a link.

The White House rejects the charge of politics, and a White House spokeswoman has said federal aid should supplement state efforts rather than replace them ¹⁰.

There is no politicization to the president's decisions on disaster relief

The national record gives Democrats their argument. An Associated Press analysis in July found Trump approved more than three-quarters of requests from states that voted for him in 2024, but less than half from states that did not ⁸. At a North Carolina rally for Republican Michael Whatley, Trump said, "Now if Michael loses, I'm not sending it," then added, "No, I'm only kidding, you're getting it," AP reported ⁸. The remark was about relief funds ¹¹.

Republican support has not guaranteed a yes. Illinois was denied in October, the third time FEMA has denied a request from the state since Trump took office again in 2025, even though its whole congressional delegation, including its three Republicans, backed the request ¹². In Colorado, after the first denial last December, Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd said, "Local leaders and residents are seeking a consistent application of FEMA criteria so recovery efforts can move forward." ⁷

Colorado Democrats have introduced a bill, the Disaster Declaration Transparency Act, that would give Congress a fast-track vote to direct a president to approve a denied request ⁶. It has been sent to committee ⁹. "Your zip code and your vote should not decide whether you can rebuild," said Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat and one of its sponsors ⁶.

What happens next

The president has no deadline to act ¹. Polis said he hopes to hear back in days to weeks, and that a decision within a couple of weeks would not delay repairs ²³. In an interview on Sunday, he said he had not heard from Trump directly ².

"I hope the president does the right thing and grants the major disaster declaration," Polis said ¹. The Southern Ute Indian Tribe, whose lands also flooded, will seek FEMA aid separately ¹.

The Record

1. Dec 20, 2025FEMA denies Colorado's request for a major disaster declaration for the October 2025 flooding in Archuleta, La Plata and Mineral counties ⁵.
2. Apr 10, 2026A FEMA letter rejects Colorado's appeal, saying federal assistance is not warranted ⁵.
3. Aug 20, 2026Sen. Michael Bennet asks Senate leaders to investigate whether the administration used federal agencies to pressure Colorado over Tina Peters ⁹.
4. Oct 22, 2026Polis declares a disaster emergency for 11 counties as flooding hits southwestern Colorado, adding Conejos County the next day ⁴.
5. Oct 31, 2026Polis asks Trump for an expedited major disaster declaration, citing $26.989 million in eligible costs in two counties ⁴.

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<h2>Polis asks Trump for $27 million in flood aid after he denied Colorado&#39;s 2025 request</h2> <p><em>By The GOP Files National Desk. This article first appeared on <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/polis-asks-trump-for-27-million-in-flood-aid-after-he-denied-colorado-s-2025-request">The GOP Files</a> on Monday, November 2, 2026.</em></p> <p>Colorado Gov. Jared Polis asked President Trump on Saturday, Oct. 31, for a major disaster declaration after floods hit southern Colorado. State and federal teams have counted almost $27 million in eligible public damage so far . A declaration would release money from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA .</p> <p>This is Colorado&#39;s second flood request to Trump in about a year. He turned down the first, for October 2025 flooding in Archuleta, La Plata and Mineral counties, and the appeal was also denied . Archuleta County is part of the new request too, along with Rio Grande County .</p> <p>Asked whether Trump would say yes this time, Polis said the request plainly meets the criteria, but he did not predict the outcome .</p> <blockquote><p>With this president, nobody really knows.</p><p>&mdash; Jared Polis, governor, D-Colorado</p></blockquote> <h2>What the floods did</h2> <p>The storms ran from Oct. 22 to 25 . About 1,000 people evacuated, and responders rescued 48 people and 31 animals . In Archuleta County, about 800 structures were affected, including 540 homes, and about 150 miles of county roads were impassable .</p> <p>As of Saturday, about 100 homes in the county still could not be reached . More rain, snow and flood risk were forecast through Monday, and recovery is expected to take many months .</p> <h2>What Colorado is asking for</h2> <p>The request lists $26.989 million in eligible costs, counting only sites that teams could safely inspect . That includes about $10.6 million for local roads, bridges and culverts, $8.59 million for parks and recreation, $4.16 million for emergency protective measures and $2.44 million for public utilities . Polis said, &quot;The final amount I&#39;m confident will be much higher than $27 million,&quot; and other counties may be added later .</p> <p>If the request is granted, FEMA would pay 75% of the cost of repairing water and waste systems, county roads, dams and other public property . By our arithmetic, 75% of the damage counted so far would be roughly $20 million. The state is also seeking hazard mitigation grants, which pay for projects that reduce future damage, such as larger culverts .</p> <p>This request does not include FEMA aid for individual households. Damage checks on homes and private property are still underway, and any request for that help would come later . Polis said insurance is the first option for homeowners .</p> <p>Highway repairs are a separate track. The Colorado Department of Transportation asked for about $65 million on Oct. 28, and the Federal Highway Administration approved $6.5 million in quick-release money two days later .</p> <h2>Last year&#39;s answer, and what it cost</h2> <p>The October 2025 flooding left more than $13 million in jointly verified infrastructure damage, including more than 60 miles of destroyed road, the state reported . FEMA denied the request on Dec. 20, 2025. A letter dated April 10, 2026, rejected the appeal, saying federal help was not warranted . The state&#39;s emergency management director described it as the first such denial in 35 years .</p> <p>&quot;Neither denial letter provided a reason for the denial determination,&quot; James Dickhoff, development director for the Town of Pagosa Springs, wrote in an email to the local paper . Archuleta County Commissioner Warren Brown still wants an explanation .</p> <blockquote><p>If we did something wrong, tell us,</p><p>&mdash; Warren Brown, Archuleta County commissioner, Colorado</p></blockquote> <p>That matters because the two floods are connected, in Brown&#39;s telling. &quot;We saw more damage and devastation this year,&quot; he said, &quot;not only because it was a larger storm, but because we had not had the ability, or the funding,&quot; &quot;to bring our roads back to a standard that would have made them more durable.&quot;</p> <p>The numbers show the strain. Archuleta County&#39;s road budget is about $7 million, while its costs from the 2025 flood topped $13.29 million . The damage counted in this year&#39;s two-county request is already about double the 2025 verified figure, and the count is still growing .</p> <h2>The political backdrop</h2> <p>Sen. Michael Bennet, a Colorado Democrat, has accused the administration of something larger. In an Aug. 20 letter, he asked Senate leaders to investigate whether federal agencies, grants and staff were used to pressure Colorado over Tina Peters, a former Mesa County clerk convicted in 2024 of charges tied to a breach of the county&#39;s elections system . He counted the two FEMA denials among the actions that followed a December 2025 White House email about Colorado .</p> <p>Bennet wrote that the president, unable to accomplish his objective legally, resorted to a campaign of coercion . That is his allegation, not a finding. Polis granted Peters a limited commutation in May, and she was paroled effective June 1 . Trump approved aid for Colorado&#39;s Aspen Acres fire this summer . The timing alone does not prove a link.</p> <p>The White House rejects the charge of politics, and a White House spokeswoman has said federal aid should supplement state efforts rather than replace them .</p> <blockquote><p>There is no politicization to the president&#39;s decisions on disaster relief</p><p>&mdash; Lauren Bis, White House spokesperson</p></blockquote> <p>The national record gives Democrats their argument. An Associated Press analysis in July found Trump approved more than three-quarters of requests from states that voted for him in 2024, but less than half from states that did not . At a North Carolina rally for Republican Michael Whatley, Trump said, &quot;Now if Michael loses, I&#39;m not sending it,&quot; then added, &quot;No, I&#39;m only kidding, you&#39;re getting it,&quot; AP reported . The remark was about relief funds .</p> <p>Republican support has not guaranteed a yes. Illinois was denied in October, the third time FEMA has denied a request from the state since Trump took office again in 2025, even though its whole congressional delegation, including its three Republicans, backed the request . In Colorado, after the first denial last December, Republican Rep. Jeff Hurd said, &quot;Local leaders and residents are seeking a consistent application of FEMA criteria so recovery efforts can move forward.&quot;</p> <p>Colorado Democrats have introduced a bill, the Disaster Declaration Transparency Act, that would give Congress a fast-track vote to direct a president to approve a denied request . It has been sent to committee . &quot;Your zip code and your vote should not decide whether you can rebuild,&quot; said Sen. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat and one of its sponsors .</p> <h2>What happens next</h2> <p>The president has no deadline to act . Polis said he hopes to hear back in days to weeks, and that a decision within a couple of weeks would not delay repairs . In an interview on Sunday, he said he had not heard from Trump directly .</p> <p>&quot;I hope the president does the right thing and grants the major disaster declaration,&quot; Polis said . The Southern Ute Indian Tribe, whose lands also flooded, will seek FEMA aid separately .</p> <p><em>Read the original, with every source linked, at <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/story/polis-asks-trump-for-27-million-in-flood-aid-after-he-denied-colorado-s-2025-request">thegopfiles.com</a>. Republished under The GOP Files' <a href="https://thegopfiles.com/republish">free republishing terms</a>.</em></p> <img src="https://thegopfiles.com/api/rp/polis-asks-trump-for-27-million-in-flood-aid-after-he-denied-colorado-s-2025-request.gif" alt="" width="1" height="1" style="border:0;width:1px;height:1px">

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Sources

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8. AP via KSAT, “Disaster relief funding is creeping into Trump's midterm rhetoric. Critics say it has no place there” (2026-10-07). ksat.com/news/politics/2026/10/07/disaster-relief-funding-is
9. The Pagosa Springs Sun, “Bennet calls for investigation into federal treatment of Colorado” (2026-08-26). pagosasun.com/stories/bennet-calls-for-investigation-into-fe
10. CBS Colorado, “President Trump denies Colorado's disaster declaration request for wildfire, flood recovery efforts, Polis says” (2025-12-22). cbsnews.com/colorado/news/president-trump-disaster-relief-re
11. MS NOW, “Ahead of the midterms, Trump isn't even being subtle about politicizing disaster aid” (2026-10-08). ms.now/rachel-maddow-show/maddowblog/trump-federal-disaster-
12. NPR Illinois, “Trump administration denies Illinois' request for disaster relief — again” (2026-10-08). nprillinois.org/illinois/2026-10-08/trump-administration-den
13. KKTV, “Gov. Polis requests major presidential disaster declaration for southwestern Colorado flood recovery” (2026-10-31). kktv.com/2026/10/31/gov-polis-requests-major-presidential-di

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