How Trump’s disaster aid delays and FEMA cuts could galvanize the ‘movable middle’ in the 2026 elections

<name>Dana R. Fisher, Director of the Center for Environment, Community & Equity and Professor in the School of International Service, American University School of International Service</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/dana-r-fisher-312250"/>· 14 octobre 2026

After a deadly tornado hit communities in rural southwest Michigan in March 2026, the state's request for federal disaster aid was denied. Bill Pugliano/Getty Images When Hurricane Isaias hit the Florida Panhandle on Oct. 9, 2026, it was just the latest weather disaster for Americans in a year that…

Résumé

Record disasters in 2025-2026

In 2025 and 2026, the United States experienced an unprecedented series of natural disasters, including Hurricane Isaias which struck the Florida Panhandle on October 9, 2026.

The summer of 2026 was the hottest on record in the U.S., exposing millions to deadly heat waves.

Extreme weather also fueled wildfires, floods, and storms, with a Super El Niño event worsening conditions until at least spring 2027.

These disasters followed a trend of increasing frequency and intensity, with the U.S.

experiencing more billion-dollar disasters annually.

States traditionally relied on federal agencies like FEMA for rapid response and recovery, but delays and funding cuts have left communities struggling to access critical aid.