Days after an announcement that western North Carolina would receive over $12 million in reimbursements for recovery work due to Hurricane Helene, President Donald Trump announced on Thursday on Truth Social that he has approved another $32 million for damage caused by Tropical Storm Chantal in July.
“I am proud to approve nearly $32 Million Dollars in assistance for the Great State of North Carolina, which I WON BIG all six times, including Primaries, in response to their recent flooding events in July,” he said in his post. “Senator Tedd Budd, future Senator Michael Whatley, and all of our incredible North Carolina Republicans have asked for this, and I am happy to do it — North Carolinians deserve it. I just notified Governor Stein, and I fully expect he will make sure the funds are used to help the State recover quickly.”
Trump said that former Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper, who is running on the Democratic ticket in the 2026 US Senate, did a “terrible job with all of the storms and massive water damage to the state.”
In early July, Chantal unloaded more than 10 inches of rain in counties including Alamance, Orange, Chatham, Moore, and others. In the Piedmont, rivers swelled to record or near‑record levels: the Haw River crested at 32.5 ft and the Eno River set a new crest at 25.63 ft. The storm surpassed “hundred‑year flood” levels in places like Saxapahaw, where watermarks surpassed those from both 1945 and 1996 floods.
Additionally, NCDOT officials reported over 120 road closures, including major arteries such as I-40 and I-85 in Alamance County. At least five deaths have been confirmed, and 80 rescues were completed in Chapel Hill and Durham.
Soon after, the governor declared a state of emergency, enabling emergency operations across affected regions.
Stein, a Democrat, thanked Trump in a post on X for his support for Chantal and Helene.
Great news: I just got off the phone with President Trump, who pledged his support for Tropical Storm Chantal and Hurricane Helene recovery. It’s all hands on deck, and I thank him for helping North Carolina rebuild. I look forward to working with the administration to deliver…
— Governor Josh Stein (@NC_Governor) September 11, 2025
US Sen. Ted Budd, R-NC, also thanked the president in a post on X as well.
Deeply grateful to @POTUS for clearing the deck of $32M in public assistance grant reimbursement for Helene clean-up & recovery. Dramatically addressing the backlog of projects waiting for funding is great news for WNC communities as we approach this storm’s 1-year anniversary. https://t.co/KrKx2ypJ2B
— Senator Ted Budd (@SenTedBuddNC) September 11, 2025
Homeowners, renters, and businesses affected by Tropical Storm Chantal can also apply for low-interest disaster loans through the US Small Business Administration (SBA).
The SBA approved an administrative disaster declaration for impacted counties following Tropical Storm Chantal, including Alamance, Caswell, Chatham, Durham, Granville, Orange, Person, and Wake counties.
Eligible homeowners and renters may borrow up to $500,000 for repair or reconstruction costs for their primary residence. Loans of up to $100,000 are available to cover expenses related to damaged or destroyed personal property, including clothing, furniture, cars, and appliances. Eligible businesses and nonprofits may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace property, including real estate, inventory, and equipment.
