# US federal disaster aid declarations

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/us-federal-disaster-aid-declarations
> Updated: 2026-09-03T19:25:00.000Z. Sources: 43. Developments: 2.

President Donald Trump has issued several major disaster declarations to unlock FEMA assistance following severe weather and geological events in the United States.

In early August, declarations were approved for Missouri and Mississippi. The Missouri aid addressed flash flooding, tornadoes, and straight-line winds affecting 34 counties, focusing on repairing public infrastructure like roads and bridges. In Mississippi, assistance was authorized for four counties to provide Individual Assistance to residents and for eight counties to manage debris removal and infrastructure damage following Tropical Storm Arthur.

By early September, further declarations were approved for Missouri and Hawaii. The Missouri declaration expanded to cover nine specific counties following severe storms and flash flooding in July, with preliminary damage and response expenses estimated at over $26.5 million. In Hawaii, federal assistance was authorized for residents of the Big Island impacted by a 6.0 magnitude earthquake in May, providing grants for temporary housing, home repairs, and low-cost loans.

## Claims

- The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously ruled that the state's new congressional redistricting map cannot be used in the November 2026 midterm elections. (disputed by 23 sources)
- The Republican-backed redistricting map was utilized during Missouri's August primary election. (disputed by 4 sources)
- The court ordered a statewide referendum to be placed on the November ballot to decide the future of the new congressional map. (corroborated by 22 sources)
- The court ruled that the petition submitted by citizens to challenge the redistricting plan met all legal requirements. (corroborated by 21 sources)
- Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway announced plans to appeal the decision to the U.S. Supreme Court. (corroborated by 19 sources)
- Missouri will use its previous 2022 congressional district lines for the November 2026 general election. (corroborated by 18 sources)
- Secretary of State Denny Hoskins previously rejected the referendum petition, claiming it was legally insufficient. (corroborated by 12 sources)
- The advocacy group People Not Politicians collected over 300,000 signatures to trigger a referendum on the new redistricting map. (corroborated by 11 sources)
- Donald Trump criticized the court's ruling, calling it unconstitutional and a ‘dark day for justice’. (corroborated by 9 sources)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-03: Missouri Supreme Court blocks new congressional map for November elections

The Missouri Supreme Court blocked a Republican-backed congressional map for the November midterms, ordering the state to use previous districts until voters decide via a referendum.

43 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/us-president-approves-disaster-declarations-for-missouri-and-hawaii

### 2026-08-04: Trump approves federal disaster aid for Missouri and Mississippi counties

Trump approved FEMA disaster aid for 34 Missouri counties after June storms and for four Mississippi counties after Tropical Storm Arthur, enabling infrastructure repairs and individual assistance.

4 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/trump-approves-federal-disaster-aid-for-missouri-and-mississippi-counties

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Cite as: US federal disaster aid declarations. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/us-federal-disaster-aid-declarations