Michigan Gov. Whitmer says Trump will give aid for ice storm recovery, a reversal

Melissa Nann Burke, The Detroit News on Mar 10, 2026

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WASHINGTON — Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said President Donald Trump agreed in a Tuesday meeting at the White House to provide additional federal disaster aid in response to last year’s ice storms that caused extensive damage in northern Michigan.

The commitment is an apparent reversal of the decision by the Federal Emergency Management Agency last fall to deny the state's appeal, so that people who were displaced or whose homes were damaged in the storm cannot directly apply for federal financial aid to recoup their losses.

In a readout of the meeting, Whitmer’s team said the governor also gave Trump an update on the deadly tornadoes that hit southwest Michigan on Friday, killing four.

“She also asked the president for an update on the state's appeal for FEMA funding to help northern Michigan residents, small businesses, and utilities recover from the historic ice storms last year,” the statement said.

“The president agreed to deliver additional federal funding to help Michiganders with the cost of recovery efforts, and the governor is thankful for this extra assistance.”

The state had filed an appeal of FEMA's earlier denials in August, but the agency in October had again denied Public Assistance Category F funding, which would have supported permanent repairs to damaged utilities, and individual assistance, which helps residents with housing and disaster-related losses, according to the Michigan State Police.

Trump’s commitment to provide additional assistance referred to the individual assistance, Whitmer spokesman Bobby Leddy said Tuesday.

Whitmer also spoke with Trump about Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the Brandon Road project that aims to block invasive Asian carp from reaching the Great Lakes, her office said, urging for stalled funding to be released by the administration so the Army Corps of Engineers "can begin construction as soon as possible."

Lawmakers have complained that the project in Illinois to erect barriers that would prevent the fish from infiltrating Lake Michigan has been paused and placed under administrative review by the administration.

Trump said in a statement on social media on Tuesday that he's working with Whitmer "on trying to save The Great Lakes from the rather violent and destructive Asian Carp, which is rapidly taking over Lake Michigan, and all of the beautiful surrounds."

"I’ll be asking other Governors to join into this fight, including those of Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, New York and, of course, the future Governor of Canada, Mark Carney, who I know will be happy to contribute to this worthy cause," Trump wrote.

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