Gov. Mikie Sherrill accused President Donald Trump of using federal disaster relief to punish political opponents, saying New Jersey taxpayers are being forced to cover $84 million in costs after the federal government denied aid for a series of severe winter storms.
“Once again, Donald Trump is using the federal government to punish those he sees as his political enemies, and everyday New Jerseyans are paying the price,” Sherrill said.
The governor said the Federal Emergency Management Agency determined that New Jersey qualified for disaster assistance, but Trump rejected the agency’s recommendation.
“Natural disasters don’t care about political parties,” Sherrill said. “When FEMA agreed that disaster relief was warranted, Donald Trump overruled the experts – and common sense – leaving New Jersey taxpayers holding the $84 million bag.”
The dispute follows what Sherrill described as a winter of unprecedented, back-to-back extreme storms that placed significant pressure on municipalities and state agencies. Local governments were responsible for cleanup, emergency response and restoring public services, while state workers helped communities reopen roads and resume normal operations.
Sherrill said those efforts should not become a financial penalty for New Jersey communities.
“During a winter of unprecedented, back-to-back extreme storms, our workers and towns rose to the occasion and got their communities up and running again, and they should not be punished for doing so,” she said.
The governor’s comments come amid continuing tensions between her administration and Trump over federal funding and the administration’s treatment of Democratic-led states.
Sherrill said the state would continue seeking resources to prepare for and respond to future disasters, regardless of whether federal assistance is approved.
“While the President may be willing to turn his back on communities for his petty politics,” she said, “my Administration will continue fighting to ensure New Jersey communities have the resources they need to prepare, respond, and recover when disaster strikes.”
After Superstorm Sandy, Gov. Chris Christie sharply criticized congressional Republicans, including House Speaker John Boehner, for delaying federal assistance to storm-ravaged states. Christie argued that the relief package was not a partisan favor but an essential obligation to communities struggling to rebuild, and he publicly blamed Washington’s political infighting for prolonging New Jersey residents’ suffering.
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