President Donald Trump says he’s providing disaster aid to Wisconsin after speaking with Tom Tiffany

President Donald Trump said that he would be providing nearly $18 million in relief to Wisconsin to help with damage from July tornadoes in the Fox Valley after speaking to Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Tiffany, who is running for governor.

In July, a tornado hit parts of Appleton and Menasha, destroying and damaging homes. Gov. Tony Evers sent a request for federal aid to Trump in August, after assessments found more than $8.2 million in damage to 2,346 residential properties and more than $13.8 million in public sector damage. The request has so far gone unfulfilled and in the absence of aid, local communities have turned to fundraising efforts.

Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social on Wednesday that he spoke to the Wisconsin Republican candidate this week, saying Tiffany has his “Complete and Total Endorsement to be the next Governor of the Great State of Wisconsin.” Trump first endorsed Tiffany in the Republican primary, a move that helped clear the field and secure the nomination for Tiffany. 

Tiffany faces Democratic candidate David Crowley in November, and the race is expected to be close.

“I told Tom that I will be approving 17.9 Million Dollars for the Severe Storms and Tornadoes that Wisconsin has experienced,” Trump wrote. “The people are tough and smart, and will come back stronger than ever — 18 Million Dollars should help, A LOT.” 

Tiffany said in a post on X that he has been in regular contact with the administration about the issue. This is not the first time during the campaign that Trump has approved millions in disaster aid for the state after speaking to Tiffany. 

“Securing federal aid for the severe storms that devastated communities across Wisconsin, particularly in the Fox Valley, has been a top priority of mine,” Tiffany said in a post on X. “I appreciate the administration responding to Wisconsin’s needs. Wisconsin is strong, our people are resilient, and I will work with anyone to make sure our communities have everything they need to recover and rebuild.”

The Evers administration says it has not received any new information about the aid request from the Trump administration and is accusing Tiffany and Trump of playing politics. Evers responded to Trump in a post on X, saying that Wisconsinites would “believe it when we see it.” 

“Clearly, President Trump and Congressman Tiffany are continuing to play politics with emergency aid that’s meant to help communities recover in the wake of disasters like tornadoes and floods,” Evers wrote. “That’s Complete and Total Bullshit.”

According to a Politico analysis from March of this year, the Trump administration had approved 89% of disaster relief requests from red states while approving just 23% of blue state requests for disaster aid. It’s the highest rate of denials in the 47-year history of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The White House has rejected claims that politics are shaping decisions on disaster aid. 

Evers’ spokesperson Britt Cudaback said in a statement that the office received “zero additional information” from the administration. 

“You’ll need to reach out to President Trump and Congressman Tiffany since they’re clearly in cahoots meddling with Wisconsin’s disaster aid,” Cudaback said. 

State Sen. Kristin Dassler-Alfheim (D-Appleton) said in a statement that she appreciated Trump’s announcement but is waiting for confirmation. She signed on to a letter with a bipartisan group of lawmakers in early September urging the administration to provide aid.

“The tornado in July was devastating, and federal assistance is absolutely necessary to help the Fox Valley recover,” Dassler-Alfheim said. “We are still waiting for official confirmation from federal officials regarding the distribution of these funds to the state and what the timeline and other details of that process will be.”

Trump’s announcement comes less than a month out from the midterm elections. He has been on the campaign trail in recent weeks with Republican candidates in Texas, Alabama and other states. He hinted at visiting Wisconsin soon in his post.

“See you soon Wisconsin — I LOVE YOU ALL!” Trump wrote at the end of his post about the disaster aid.

Wisconsin’s race for governor is expected to be close with recent polling showing Crowley up slightly over Tiffany. The purple state’s elections typically come down to razor thin margins, including in the last Trump midterm elections in 2018 when Evers ousted former Gov. Scott Walker in a race determined by just under 30,000 votes. 

Whether Trump’s efforts will help Tiffany in November is unclear — the state voted for Trump in 2024 but his popularity has plummeted in recent months. Either way, the president has been a force throughout the Wisconsin campaign cycle.

Tiffany in recent weeks has made statements to distance himself from Trump, calling for the end of the war in Iran, even after he repeatedly cast votes in Congress against ending the conflict. He also  said recently that  Joe Biden won the 2020 presidential election, despite voting against certifying Biden’s win in key states in 2020. Asked whether he would certify the results of the 2028 election, he said he would.

The Crowley campaign released an ad on Tuesday highlighting Tiffany’s support for Trump, saying he “swore his loyalty to Donald Trump.” 

Crowley said in a statement about the aid that he is glad to see the president agreeing to provide relief. 

“I look forward to seeing this money actually delivered to our communities to help them rebuild,” said Crowley. “We should always put politics aside when it comes to making sure Wisconsin families, businesses, and communities get the support they need.”