Wisconsin flood damage, Trump approves $29.8M in disaster relief

MILWAUKEE - President Donald Trump on Thursday announced he has approved $29.8 million in disaster relief for Wisconsin after floods caused widespread damage in August.

What they're saying:

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said:

"I just informed Senator Ron Johnson that, based on his request, I am approving $29.8 Million Dollars for the wonderful State of Wisconsin to help them recover from the major storms and flooding they experienced in August. We had Huge Victories in Wisconsin in 2016, 2020, and 2024, and it is my Honor to deliver BIG for Wisconsinites!"

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President Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 and again last year but lost it in 2020 and tried unsuccessfully to overturn his defeat.

U.S. Sen. Ron Johnson, in a post on X, said:

"I just had a great call with @POTUS who approved Wisconsin’s request for flood disaster relief. Thank you to President Trump for continuing to deliver BIG TIME for Wisconsinites. Also, thank you to @RepBryanSteil and @RepFitzgerald for helping lead the charge to obtain the much-needed federal assistance."

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson told FOX6 News the news came as a surprise but offered relief for thousands of homeowners and businesses still recovering.

"We learned via social media post that the president was making some designation to Milwaukee in terms of financial support after the flooding that happened here last month, which I am very, very grateful for," Johnson said. "This is the beginning. Right, there was not an official designation just yet – it was merely just a social media post. So, there may be more to come after this."

Later Thursday, around 7:45 p.m., Gov. Tony Evers said his administration received official notice that the Trump Administration approved his request for a major disaster declaration for counties impacted by recent severe storms and flooding.

"Over the past month, my administration and I have been working hard to ensure the folks and families whose homes, businesses, schools, and community centers were impacted have the support they need to recover. Thanks to Wisconsin Emergency Management and FEMA’s quick work in identifying and confirming our need for federal assistance and aid, as well as the tireless advocacy of Senator Tammy Baldwin and Congresswoman Gwen Moore, we can continue our critical recovery efforts," said Gov. Evers in a statement. "I want to again thank the volunteers, organizations, and communities who are helping our neighbors, friends, and families recover, but our work is not done. I will continue to urge the Trump Administration to approve the remainder of my request, and I will keep fighting to make sure Wisconsin receives every resource that is needed and available."

Welcomed news

Local perspective:

Groups like Revitalize Milwaukee, which has been working with families displaced or struggling to repair their homes, welcomed the funding.

"The floods wiped out some of the families in most need," said Melanie Roach of Revitalize Milwaukee. "Basements — not only where people store things but where people live — are damaged."

Roach emphasized the urgency as colder months approach.

"There’s a need to restore before Wisconsin winters to make sure they have heat and hot water," she said. "That is so needed for our homeowners. We need that money — we need that money to get them back on their feet."

Do you need help?

What you can do:

Visit the Disaster Assistance page, part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security website.

Disaster declaration request

The backstory:

Evers requested a federal disaster declaration from the president on Aug. 27 – 18 days after the storms started. That was faster than the average timeline for five past disasters, which was 36 days.

Between 2017 and 2020, it took an average of 59 days for Trump to declare major disasters in Wisconsin, excluding COVID-19.

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The request was for support from two Federal Emergency Management Agency programs:

• FEMA’s Individual Assistance program for Milwaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties
• FEMA’s Public Assistance program for Door, Grant, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties

FEMA and Wisconsin Emergency Management joint teams conducted field assessments at individual properties in August. The governor's request could not come until those joint assessments were done.

Crews did not visit every home, but the assessments provided a "snapshot" of the damage.

The agencies determined, after initial assessment, there were 1,500 residential structures that were destroyed or sustained major damage – with total damage estimated at more than $33 million. 

Federal officials returned to Wisconsin on Monday to review flood damage. That round of assessments focused on public property, including roads in Menomonee Falls, Brown Deer and Germantown.

Additionally, initial damage reports collected by the state indicate more than $43 million in public sector damage throughout six Wisconsin counties. The public damage can also include nonprofits, like schools, hospitals and churches.