This graphic from the National Weather Service shows the impact of the August 2025 storm in the Chicago area.
Article Summary
- The Trump administration rejected an Illinois request for a major disaster declaration for a second time on Feb. 7.
- The request was related to severe storms that impacted northern Illinois in August 2025. The initial request was rejected in October.
- JB Pritzker called the refusal politically motivated and accused President Trump of playing politics with disaster aid.
- Many states have had FEMA requests denied since Trump took office. The number of declarations granted was 30% lower than the yearly average.
This summary was written by the reporters and editors who worked on this story.
The Trump administration has again rejected Illinois’ request for a major disaster declaration covering severe storms that took place in northern Illinois in August 2025.
The denial by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, released Saturday, Feb. 7, is related to storms that impacted Boone, Cook, Kane, McHenry and Will counties, resulting in flooding, wind and hail damage, blocked roads and power outages. FEMA first rejected the state’s request for aid in October, leading to a second appeal in November.
Gov. JB Pritzker condemned the rejection in a statement.
“Let’s call this what this is: a politically motivated decision that punishes thousands of Illinois families in a critical moment of need. Playing politics with disaster relief funding is a new low, even for the Trump Administration,” he said.
Based on past reporting, approvals and denials do seem to fall along political lines. Last year, Vermont, Maryland and Colorado also were denied major disaster declarations. Three of the four states have Democratic governors. Vermont reliably votes blue and its congressional delegation is made up of Democrats.
On Feb. 6, Tennessee and Mississippi were granted major disaster declarations for winter storms.
The Illinois Emergency Management Agency said it received a letter from FEMA saying supplemental assistance was not warranted.
The August storms
Multiple rounds of thunderstorms impacted the Chicago area for nearly 17 hours in mid-August. Some areas saw 60-70 mph winds and 4-8 inches of rain, according to a National Weather Service report.
Extreme rainfall and wind led to flash flooding affecting roads and homes, downed trees and power lines, and more. The damage was worst for Belvidere, Cary, Sugar Grove, Palatine and Romeoville.
Pritzker issued a disaster proclamation on Sept. 15, which instructed state agencies to implement Illinois emergency operations.
The denial specifically applies to the state’s request for individual assistance from FEMA. That program provides direct financial assistance to individuals and families who have suffered losses from a disaster. The grant can be used for home repairs, property loss, child care, moving, storage and more.
“Ignoring the realities of widespread damage from the August 2025 severe storms, speaks volumes about the federal government’s vindictive priorities and complete disregard for American livelihoods,” Pritzker said in his statement.
Theodore Berger, the acting director of the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security, said it was “incredibly disappointing that an incident of this magnitude, which upended the lives of thousands of Illinoisans, was not declared a major disaster.”
“While this federal support will not be forthcoming, we will continue to work with local emergency management partners to support their ongoing efforts to assist our communities in their long-term recovery,” he said.
FEMA reductions
Reporting shows states have had problems securing FEMA declarations since Trump took office. FEMA data shows 115 disasters were declared in 2025, down from the yearly average of 164, based on the last five years of data.
The Trump administration wants the federal government to take less responsibility for disaster management and recovery. Those efforts include downsizing FEMA, reducing how much the agency pays for disasters and increasing the threshold for the estimated cost of a disaster before the president issues a major disaster declaration.
FEMA is an agency under the Department of Homeland Security.
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service that distributes state government coverage to hundreds of news outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
