* Capitol News Illinois…
Illinois has seen a record number of tornadoes just six months into the year after a series of spring and summer storms barreled their way across the Midwest, causing millions in damage as federal disaster assistance wanes in Democrat-led states.
Experts chalk the sudden increase up to temporary fluctuation, although a small increase over decades is in line with current climate change research. But more severe weather events could strain local and state governments as recent analysis shows blue states have struggled to get federal aid requests approved under the second Trump administration.
The National Weather Service confirmed a record 153 tornadoes in Illinois as of June 23, a number all but guaranteed to increase as teams continue to evaluate late June storms while more tornadoes are bound to occur in the second half of the year. Before 2023, Illinois hadn’t recorded more than 73 tornadoes in a calendar year since 2006.
* Illinois chart…
But…
A Politico analysis found Democrat-led states saw just 23% of their disaster requests granted in the first year of Trump’s second term, compared to 89% for their Republican counterparts. Under the past six administrations — including Trump’s first term — states led by either party saw similar rates of approval, between 70% and 90%. The analysis also found that the administration takes twice as long to issue decisions on requests from blue states.
* From that analysis…
From the story…
• Trump’s 23 percent approval rate of Democratic requests is unprecedented. Every president since Reagan has approved at least 67 percent of requests from Democratic-led states. Republican Presidents George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush and Trump in his first term each approved a higher percentage of requests from Democratic states than from Republican states.
• Trump has taken 80 days on average to approve or deny requests from Democratic-led states — compared to 39 days for Republican-led states.
• Trump has been openly partisan on social media about using disaster funding for political purposes. He has linked his decisions to grant aid with his electoral victories in Republican-led states.
• Eight out of Trump’s 10 denials for Democratic-led states came despite FEMA having documented high levels of damage after on-the-ground inspections. Previous presidents have rarely denied disaster aid for events that caused as much damage as FEMA found for the eight denials.
• Trump’s denials of Democratic-led states overwhelmingly affected counties that supported him in 2024, suggesting that Trump’s rejections were directed at state leaders who oppose him politically.
* Gov. Pritzker was asked about this topic yesterday…
It’s hard to say that this administration doesn’t have politics playing a part in virtually all of its decision making, even when there are lives at risk. But you know, I also will say, I looked at a study that showed that on a, I think it’s on a per capita basis, that California, Illinois, and Ohio have received the least remuneration in the face of disasters, and I think again it’s on, I think, a per.. it might either be on a per disaster site or a per person basis. But I saw Ohio in there, and I thought that’s a Republican state, it’s controlled by a Republican legislature. So, I’m not sure, and maybe it’s that the president does not like Governor DeWine, who he has said he does not like. Maybe that’s what it’s about. I don’t know. I can’t really tell.
All I can tell you is this is not the way the country should be run. It should not be. Look, you run an election, you fight over issues, you know, between the two parties, and then someone wins and has to run the state or the country, and you’re there in charge of the benefit of all of the people of your state or your country, not just the people who voted for you, and not against the people who didn’t vote for you, so I would just, you know, reiterate, I am concerned there’s politics involved, but it is hard to pinpoint.
I’m inclined to believe, because in so many other ways this president seems like every decision is based on, you know, going after his enemies, protecting his friends, even, you know, corruptly taking money from people that he doesn’t like and opposes, so I don’t know the answer, I guess, to your question, and it’s very hard to pinpoint, but we should receive FEMA dollars for the disasters that have occurred in the state of Illinois.
- old man poodle owner - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 1:37 pm:
JB declared any counties in Illinois State disaster areas? Has he gone to Fayette, Clark, Coles counties to see any of the damage personally? Most of the tornados are EF0 or EF1 which have fortunately not caused numerous injuries and thankfully ( except if its your property) minimal damage that your insurance should cover. But again, JB has not done a downstate tour to see what damage there is.
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 1:38 pm:
The SNL Sketch “The Global Warming Christmas Special” featuring Tom Hanks aired in 1990. Some of the folks here might be old enough to have caught it live. I consider that to be the definitive moment where it becomes harder to argue that people just didn’t know this was going to be a problem. There are plenty of other examples from the 1980s that demonstrate that our policy makers were aware of the problem. We’re decades into ignoring the underlying cause of this problem as people, as institutions, and as governments.
Even with federal aid, we are on our own. This is the path we’ve chosen. It is going to get worse and we’re not prepared for that either.
Government of Billionaires and for Billionaires does not care natural disasters.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 1:44 pm:
=== But again, JB has not done a downstate tour to see what damage there is. ===
Not true. He was in Charleston a few days ago. He’s said he’s waiting to visit Jefferson County until he can go without interfering.
Maybe try looking things up before commenting here.
===Most of the tornados are EF0 or EF1===
How does that rise to the level of a gubernatorial visit?
- declaration seeker - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 1:51 pm:
It’s been 2+ weeks since the 6/10 derecho and I know people hoping for an SBA loan so they can move forward with repairs. Would be nice to hear that a disaster was at least requested.
- Grandson of Man - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 1:53 pm:
Many of those areas harmed or at risk are Republican areas. Any word from the ILGOP on Trump stiffing their constituents? After yesterday’s US Senate retreat on the Iran war resolution, the answer is obvious.
- old man poodle owner - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 1:53 pm:
How does that rise to the level of a gubernatorial visit?
It does not. Nor does it rise to the level of a fed declaration.
Plus I am not sure how a visit would cause that much disruption. He shows up with 4 ISP troopers in an SUV looks at the damage, says a few words and leaves.
- declaration seeker - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 1:56 pm:
Excuse me, 6/10 and 6/11
- Dan Vock - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 2:06 pm:
Also from Sunday’s Tribune… https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/06/14/illinois-fema-trump-storms-disaster-relief/
- Google is Your Friend - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 2:33 pm:
==Trump’s denials of Democratic-led states overwhelmingly affected counties that supported him in 2024==
But they stuck it to the libs, so that’s all that matters!
- Candy Dogood - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 2:39 pm:
===Not true. He was in Charleston a few days ago.===
Pritzker is and has an incredibly attentive governor to downstate. I’d say the best we’ve had in the current century and the most attentive governor to central and southern Illinois that wasn’t trading public jobs for political contributions and support.
The amount of resentment coming from regions that the Governor clearly cares about that is without a basis in fact is outstanding. Sometimes I get a little jealous of the people that believe that “their” tax dollars from the most impoverished and economically stagnant parts of the state “are sent to Chicago.” I don’t have the capacity for that level of make believe. It is just a tragedy they waste an active and talented imagination on coming up with reasons to hate the best Governor we’ve had in a long, long time.
- ArchPundit - Thursday, Jun 25, 26 @ 2:39 pm:
Good article Dan.
There are legit questions of whether FEMA should be involved at the level it has been. On the Media just did an excellent series on FEMA, but it should be neutral to partisan politics, and it should be clear what the standard for federal assistance should be neither of which the current federal administration will do.