Rhode Island officials say they will appeal after the Trump administration denied the state’s request for a federal major disaster relief request following the historic February 2026 blizzard.
The storm, which struck February 22 and 23, produced 37.9 inches of snow in parts of Rhode Island, making it one of the largest snowfall events ever recorded in the state. Powerful wind gusts of up to 74 mph combined with the heavy snow to create blizzard conditions that shut down travel, knocked out power to thousands, closed businesses, and disrupted communities across Rhode Island.
According to state officials, the storm resulted in more than $19 million in documented damages, including snow removal costs, emergency response expenses, infrastructure impacts, power restoration efforts, and economic losses. Rhode Island argued those damages met the federal threshold for disaster assistance.
Before the request was denied, Rhode Island’s congressional delegation sent a letter to President Trump asking him to approve the disaster declaration. Senators Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, along with Representatives Seth Magaziner and Gabe Amo, said the state had documented sufficient damage to qualify for federal assistance and urged the administration to reconsider. Following the denial, Governor Dan McKee announced the state will appeal the decision.
The rejection comes as Rhode Island’s Democratic leaders have remained among the Trump administration’s most outspoken critics. Gov. McKee, AG Peter Neronha, and members of the state’s congressional delegation have frequently criticized administration policies, while Rhode Island has joined numerous multistate legal challenges involving federal lawsuits. The administration has not indicated those political disagreements played any role in its decision to deny the disaster request.
RI officials say they will continue pursuing federal assistance, arguing that communities affected by one of the state’s most significant winter storms deserve access to recovery funding.
Was the decision to deny Rhode Island’s request the right one, or should it be reconsidered?
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