By Chris Menahan – Information Liberation
The Trump administration, after agreeing to “bail out” Argentina for $20 billion, denied FEMA aid funding to the poor, overwhelmingly white, Republican Maryland counties of Allegany and Garrett in the wake of devastating flooding — seemingly due to some personal beef with Democratic Gov. Wes Moore.
The US, since October 7th, 2023, has spent some $21.7 billion to help Israel. The US since 2022 has approved some $175 billion to help Ukraine.
These Maryland counties are asking for a pittance in comparison.
“Allegany and Garrett County submitted for $80 million worth of damages and infrastructure for public assistance,” FOX 5 Washington DC reports. “FEMA estimated the damage was more than $33 million — that’s nearly three times the amount needed to qualify for federal aid in Maryland.”
Nonetheless, the Trump administration denied their appeal last week, leaving them with nothing.
From The Washington Post, “Trump administration denies FEMA aid for Western Maryland floods”:
On the same day FEMA informed Maryland it would receive no federal aid, Trump rapid-fire posted congratulatory messages to a number of other states that did receive disaster relief. Some of those states received far less help than Maryland had asked for, and Trump suggested that he was motivated to provide assistance to states that had supported him in past elections.
“I just spoke with Governor Mike Kehoe, of the Great State of Missouri, and told him that I am approving $2.5 Million Dollars in individual assistance after severe storms, high winds, large hail, flash flooding, and tornadoes, which occurred earlier this year,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I won ‘The Show Me State’ three times in 2016, 2020, and 2024, and it is my Honor to deliver for these incredible Patriots!”
Trump wrote similar posts about Nebraska, Alaska, and North Dakota.
The floods that swept through Allegany and Garrett counties in May left hundreds of swamped homes and businesses, washed-out roads, blocked storm drains and wrecked sewage systems. More than 200 students and staff had to be evacuated by boat from an elementary school. Much of the damage was concentrated in small towns along Georges Creek, like Westernport, Maryland, which has a population of about 1,812 and an annual budget of roughly $2 million.
This is as far from “America First” as one can get.
Lest anyone forget, the Trump administration earlier this year said they’d deny disaster aid to states and cities that boycott Israel (and only half walked it back after facing public backlash).
Seeing as how appeals to humanity didn’t work, perhaps the leaders of these counties would see success if they took a trip to the Wailing Wall and begged Trump for funding.
