Trump administration denies mitigation aid after WA floods ⁠37%

By Jake Goldstein-Street⁠0% Washington State Standard⁠0%

4/27/2026, 6:21:51 PM

BS Summary: This article contains 16 faulty reasoning types, including Representativeness Heuristic, Availability Heuristic, and Pessimism Bias, with Negativity Bias as the most egregious example at 10.8% saturation with 66 hits. Analysis detected 512 faulty-reasoning hits from 611 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 43.5% and a BS Rank of ⁠37% (13,442 of 21,169 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 63.50% of the article peer group.

The Trump administration has denied Washington’s request for federal funding to prepare for future floods after a historic deluge hit the state late last year. 
The letter Thursday from Federal Emergency Management Agency Associate Administrator Gregg Phillips gives little explanation for the denial. 
Phillips only writes that the federal hazard mitigation grants are “not warranted.” 
The state has 30 days to appeal. 
President Donald Trump earlier this month approved separate requests for federal aid to help individuals, nonprofits and state, tribal and local governments rebuild. 
The December flooding forced evacuation orders for over 100,000 Washingtonians and damaged nearly 4,000 homes, according to the state. 
<strong><em>RELATED</em>: <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/fema-approves-disaster-funding-for-washington-after-december-floods" target="_blank">FEMA approves disaster funding for Washington after December floods</a></strong> 
U.S. 
Rep. 
Rick Larsen, D-Everett, called the Trump administration’s move on the mitigation funding “an unacceptable decision for the families and businesses that I represent.” 
“The disaster declaration helps people recover from the last flood, but hazard mitigation helps people survive the next flood,” Larsen said in a statement, adding that FEMA “should be helping Northwest Washington prepare for the inevitable next major flood, not just doing damage control.” 
In February, Ferguson pegged the preliminary damage at $182.3 million. 
Of that total, the state could ask the federal government to cover three-quarters. 
That’s roughly $137 million. 
This pot is what Trump agreed to, though it’s unclear exactly how much money will flow into the state. 
<strong><em>RELATED</em>: <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/washington-gov-ferguson-december-record-flooding-caused-millions-infrastructure-damage" target="_blank">December's record flooding caused $182M in WA infrastructure damage, Ferguson says</a></strong> 
When Ferguson made the request, he cited a new floodwall in Mount Vernon that protected the Skagit County city from more devastating flooding in December to make the case for the funding to prepare for future disasters. 
At the time, he said the toll from the flooding “would have been even worse, significantly worse, without infrastructure to protect against flooding.” 
The state can ask for mitigation funding of up to 20% of its total damage estimate. 
That would be a maximum of over $36 million in this case. 
Ferguson’s office didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the denial. 
Trump has made a point of rejecting aid for some states led by Democrats, including in Washington in the aftermath of the 2024 bomb cyclone. 
<strong><em>RELATED</em>: <a href="https://www.kuow.org/stories/trump-denies-washington-state-s-disaster-aid-request-again" target="_blank">Trump denies Washington state's disaster-aid request, again</a></strong> 
The deadline for individuals impacted by the flooding to apply for federal funding is June 10. 
The aid is available to people in Chelan, Grays Harbor, King, Lewis, Pacific, Pierce, Skagit, Snohomish, Thurston and Whatcom counties and numerous tribal communities. 
People should first file claims with their insurance providers, then apply for federal assistance online at <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click? 
upn=u001.b00YhNV2Nr0-2BaZn7eVNAdTDjfaqBKPnumxR5XPYm9lfw3feLnmlUpJsf2-2BJxp96e09ka_Mny26vLleFegEKpSPsDTM1QVkyXTNzcFyvAynL4-2Bn9pTaXOLXlvK3fItFz4k2MuauYvDdhRwnxvCN3Qs99CtpF796IuVNejIZyuBifVFIZuKXZE47KLkzp2ptzHWyNAeZffvJELxwl3K0O3UxIUDtz6CcEK4n5JvRx6VqUS1-2B8qGGP50q2YsZ3u7zYHYcDuTKZaWRTlKDB-2F7BTeANSoWfFBpVAo4OpRgnpAkuw5UAL1tn7X-2FVlaP03tXs834kkcdX2AWz3a7-2FUcaaaMxgvS72gbzj4YPtN3ZrlK2IQw7rxkOgohkBCpXgncvZVr-2B1OOXB-2Fz3N6nCRLKa7SaKX0TIJ2taDeyg7wC2itazYWCDc-2BTRo4NGHYqtObFJEn7gZgru" target="_blank">www.DisasterAssistance.gov,</a> by calling 1-800-621-3362, or using the <a href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click? 
upn=u001.gqh-2BaxUzlo7XKIuSly0rC8U0qkTMlT7hnGoDVO1BBPFDr42HMxTu98ATJrJbGYW5NXPE7oDrSYXbLWj20G-2BWNJykhIcIVc6DH4jyRePtoHc-3DLCBP_Mny26vLleFegEKpSPsDTM1QVkyXTNzcFyvAynL4-2Bn9pTaXOLXlvK3fItFz4k2MuauYvDdhRwnxvCN3Qs99CtpF796IuVNejIZyuBifVFIZuKXZE47KLkzp2ptzHWyNAeZffvJELxwl3K0O3UxIUDtz6CcEK4n5JvRx6VqUS1-2B8qGGP50q2YsZ3u7zYHYcDuTKZaWRTlKDB-2F7BTeANSoWfFBpVAo4OpRgnpAkuw5UAL012um0lqkrL8wNqE-2FujKYEyt2wuZS5oSz2w6UlG2zg5Pal-2FB940MDai2xbwTDglrR1aDZFTUj1MJG5jH-2FPH-2BYcW7GDazUTh4DpqV5rux2NRTW7jgOl5imEdqOdNpOI6biEYCcxJLq31LntE-2Bd090Yv" target="_blank">FEMA App.</a> 
Meanwhile, earlier this week, FEMA approved over $250 million nationwide to help state and local communities protect against future floods. 
This included nearly $930,000 for the city of Enumclaw for culvert design replacement, $300,000 for Snohomish County, and $180,000 for the state Department of Ecology to develop a strategy to reduce flood risk in areas frequently beset by flooding. 
The state has gone to court with the Trump administration over the withholding of more than $150 million in other disaster mitigation funding for Washington. 
Among the projects left in limbo were levee and floodwall construction in Aberdeen and Hoquiam. 
Last month, Attorney General Nick Brown, along with other states, secured a court order requiring FEMA to take concrete steps to reverse the cancellation of the funding. 
These funding streams are separate from what the Trump administration denied this week. 
<em>This story was originally published by the <a href="https://washingtonstatestandard.com/2026/04/24/trump-administration-denies-mitigation-aid-after-wa-floods/" target="_blank">Washington State Standard.</a></em> 
Article reasoning-pattern comparisonThis article: 4.1%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.9%KUOW: 2.6%Confirmation Bias4.1%This article: 4.3%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.5%KUOW: 1.3%Anchoring Bias4.3%This article: 9.5%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.9%KUOW: 3.4%Availability Heuristic9.5%This article: 10.1%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.1%KUOW: 1.2%Representativeness Heuristic10.1%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.3%KUOW: 0.7%Hindsight Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.5%KUOW: 1.4%Overconfidence Bias0.0%This article: 4.1%Jake Goldstein-Street: 6.7%KUOW: 7.4%Framing Effect4.1%This article: 2.5%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.4%KUOW: 1.0%Loss Aversion2.5%This article: 3.3%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.6%KUOW: 1.0%Status Quo Bias3.3%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.2%KUOW: 0.2%Sunk Cost Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 2.4%KUOW: 3.8%Optimism Bias0.0%This article: 7.2%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.9%KUOW: 1.8%Pessimism Bias7.2%This article: 10.8%Jake Goldstein-Street: 7.0%KUOW: 8.0%Negativity Bias10.8%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 2.7%KUOW: 2.0%Self-Serving Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.4%KUOW: 0.9%Fundamental Attribution Error0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.0%KUOW: 0.2%Actor-Observer Bias0.0%This article: 3.8%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.1%KUOW: 2.0%In-Group Bias3.8%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.5%KUOW: 0.5%Out-Group Homogeneity Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.3%KUOW: 2.7%Halo Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.1%KUOW: 0.2%Horn Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.0%KUOW: 0.0%Dunning-Kruger Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.0%KUOW: 1.1%Recency Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.2%KUOW: 0.4%Primacy Effect0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.0%KUOW: 0.0%Blind-Spot Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.5%KUOW: 0.5%Ad Hominem0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.5%KUOW: 0.3%Straw Man0.0%This article: 4.4%Jake Goldstein-Street: 2.6%KUOW: 4.3%Appeal to Authority4.4%This article: 7.2%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.3%KUOW: 1.4%False Dilemma7.2%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.8%KUOW: 0.9%Slippery Slope0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.2%KUOW: 0.1%Circular Reasoning0.0%This article: 4.1%Jake Goldstein-Street: 2.1%KUOW: 4.1%Hasty Generalization4.1%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.2%KUOW: 0.3%Red Herring0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.3%KUOW: 0.8%Bandwagon0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 5.0%KUOW: 6.1%Appeal to Emotion0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.3%KUOW: 0.8%Begging the Question0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.4%KUOW: 2.2%Post Hoc (False Cause)0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.0%KUOW: 0.1%Tu Quoque0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.4%KUOW: 0.3%Burden of Proof0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.0%KUOW: 0.2%Appeal to Nature0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.2%KUOW: 0.2%Composition/Division0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.5%KUOW: 3.3%Anecdotal0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.0%KUOW: 0.1%No True Scotsman0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.6%KUOW: 1.4%Ambiguity (Equivocation)0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.0%KUOW: 0.0%Gambler’s Fallacy0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.3%KUOW: 0.1%Middle Ground0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.0%KUOW: 0.1%Personal Incredulity0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.0%KUOW: 0.2%Special Pleading0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.2%KUOW: 0.2%Genetic Fallacy0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.8%KUOW: 1.0%Unattributed Quote0.0%This article: 2.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 1.3%KUOW: 0.8%Quote-first Misdirection2.0%This article: 2.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 2.1%KUOW: 3.2%Biased Writer Voice2.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.9%KUOW: 1.5%Indoctrination0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.8%KUOW: 1.1%Politically Left Leaning Bias0.0%This article: 0.0%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.2%KUOW: 0.2%Politically Right Leaning Bias0.0%This article: 4.6%Jake Goldstein-Street: 0.5%KUOW: 1.3%Attempt to Sell a Product or S…4.6%

611 words analyzed.

Speakers

3speakers17%attributed speech505writer words
Voice mapSelect a segment to jump to its words
Writer's voice • 8 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 25 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 18 words • 0.0% coverageGregg Phillips • 12 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 7 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 23 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 19 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 12 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 1 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 1 words • 0.0% coverageRick Larsen • 23 words • 0.0% coverageRick Larsen • 44 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 10 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 13 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 4 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 19 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 14 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 37 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 23 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 16 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 12 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 13 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 25 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 10 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 16 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 24 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 18 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 10 words • 100.0% coverageWriter's voice • 3 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 20 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 39 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 25 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 15 words • 0.0% coverageNick Brown • 27 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 13 words • 0.0% coverageWriter's voice • 12 words • 0.0% coverage
Selected voice

Rick Larsen

100%flagged-word coverage
67 attributed words63% of attributed speech55% writer coverage
0%5.0%10.0%Attempt to Sell a Product -5.5 ptsWriter: 5.5%Rick Larsen: 0.0%0.0%

Attribution is sentence-level. Pattern percentages are calculated only from words assigned to that voice.

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Analysis

Hover over highlighted words in the article to view the associated bias or fallacy analysis.