Trump OKs Michigan disaster declaration, Whitmer says it's 'a good start'

Mar. 28--President Donald Trump has approved Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's request for a federal major disaster declaration related to the coronavirus, the White House announced Saturday.

Whitmer said in a news release she appreciates the approval as "a good start," but said the federal government has not approved Michigan's request in full.

Separately, Whitmer announced that Michigan has received a shipment of 112,800 N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile, with an additional shipment of 8,000 masks on the way. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters' office said Saturday that as many as 1 million masks could be headed to Michigan.

The approvals came despite Trump's public complaints as recently as Friday that Whitmer has not shown sufficient appreciation for what his administration has done to fight the pandemic. Trump attacked Whitmer on Twitter Friday and said on Fox News Thursday that Whitmer's criticism of federal planning and action has not been "pleasant."

The major disaster declaration through the Federal Emergency Management Agency makes the state eligible for statewide crisis counseling and provides funding for state, tribal, and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations for emergency protective measures, including direct federal assistance, the White House said in a news release.

Whitmer said Michigan had requested much more.

"While Michigan made a broad request for aid in every individual assistance and public assistance program from the individual assistance category, funding was approved for the crisis counseling program and funding for emergency protective measures from the public assistance category was also approved," Whitmer said.

"I'm hopeful that the president will review my request for individual assistance programs that would provide meals to families who need them and rental assistance and temporary housing for families. I look forward to the federal government's continued partnership as we work to fight this virus."

Whitmer sent the disaster declaration request to FEMA on Thursday, one day after the Free Press revealed that Michigan had not yet made such a request, despite the fact several other states had already received major disaster declarations from Washington, D.C.

Whitmer said the crisis counseling program the White House approved will provide services for those whose mental health has been impacted by the spread of COVID-19.

The funding for emergency protective measures includes money for transporting and positioning equipment, Michigan's emergency operations center, medical supplies and personal protective equipment, medical care and transport, and childcare, Whitmer said. The governor's request for hazard mitigation assistance to help provide relief during planning for recovery is under review, she said.

Whitmer said the relief package approved by Congress Friday will provide relief in some of the requested areas of individual assistance, including unemployment insurance and nutritional food assistance under the Stafford Act. But she said FEMA can also provide aid in these areas where they do not overlap with existing programs.

Michigan also requested assistance for both disaster unemployment assistance and nutritional food assistance that have not yet been approved, she said.

Michigan has the fifth-most cases of coronavirus in the nation, with more than 3,600, and at least 92 deaths, as of Saturday.

The Trump administration has already declared major disasters for states and territories including New Jersey, Florida, Iowa, Louisiana, New York, California, Washington, South Carolina, and Puerto Rico.

Whitmer has been critical of a lack of federal preparation for the pandemic and what she has said is a lack of a national strategy and inadequate assistance in helping Michigan and other states procure needed test kits, masks, gloves, personal protection equipment, hand sanitizer, ventilators, and other items.

Friday night on Twitter, Trump said: "I love Michigan," and although the White House was doing a great job helping the state, "your Governor, Gretchen 'Half' Whitmer is way in over her head, she doesn't have a clue. Likes blaming everyone for her own ineptitude!"

Earlier, at a White House briefing, Trump said that Vice President Mike Pence, who is in charge of the coronavirus response, calls all the governors, but that Trump tells Pence not to call the governors of Michigan and Washington state, who have been critical of him.

"I want them to be appreciative," Trump said.

Whitmer said she did not make the disaster declaration request sooner than Thursday because she wanted to learn from how other states fared with their requests and because her administration was more focused on getting Michigan residents to stay home and avoid close contact with one another.

The arrival of masks from the federal government Saturday is "great news for our front line health care workers," Whitmer said.

Peters' office said that FEMA has said as many as 1 million more N95 respirators could be sent to Michigan from outside vendors as early as Saturday but cautioned that some of the vendors are "struggling to produce and fully deliver the orders they are promising on time." The additional shipment would not be coming directly from the national stockpile but would be still be channeled through FEMA, which is coordinating shipments from vendors to states.

Peters, D-Mich., who is the ranking Democrat on the Senate Homeland Services and Governmental Affairs Committee, talked to FEMA Administrator Peter Gaynor on Friday night to reinforce the need for Michigan to get medical supplies ahead of Saturday's shipment.

Contact Paul Egan: 517-372-8660 or pegan@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @paulegan4. Read more on Michigan politics and sign up for our elections newsletter.

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