IOWA, USA — President Donald Trump will visit Iowa on Tuesday following last week's powerful derecho storm, according to a White House Official.
As he departed Washington on Monday morning to visit Minnesota and Wisconsin, Trump told reporters he has approved Iowa's disaster declaration.
"I've just approved an emergency declaration for Iowa who had an incredible windstorm," Trump said. "Like ... probably they've never seen before. It really did a lot of damage."
Trump also noted he was looking to visit Iowa as soon as possible.
"I love the people of Iowa. They've been very loyal," he said. "The big thing was getting the declaration signed but I'll be going very soon and maybe today."
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows later said a Monday visit could not be done.
“He wanted to go to Iowa today," Meadows said, per a pool report from the flight to Minnesota. "Logistically, we could not make it work at the last minute.”
Trump will travel to Cedar Rapids and meet with Gov. Kim Reynolds and local officials.
The disaster declaration allows for federal funding to be allocated on a cost-sharing basis for repair work in the following counties: Benton, Boone, Cedar, Clinton, Dallas, Jasper, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Marshall, Muscatine, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, and Tama.
Individual assistance is not included, according to FEMA's declaration.
Peaks wind gusts from the Aug. 10 derecho reached 112 mph in Midway (Linn County), 110 mph in Atkins (Benton County) and 109 mph in Shellsburg (Benton County).
Reynolds officially requested nearly $4 billion in federal relief money over the weekend.
Funds were requested under the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Individual Assistance program for 27 Iowa counties:
- Audubon
- Benton
- Boone
- Cass
- Cedar
- Clarke
- Clinton
- Dallas
- Greene
- Grundy
- Guthrie
- Hardin
- Iowa
- Jackson
- Jasper
- Johnson
- Jones
- Linn
- Madison
- Marshall
- Muscatine
- Polk
- Poweshiek
- Scott
- Story
- Tama
- Washington
The 17 bolded counties above also had funds for infrastructure repair and debris removal requested under FEMA's Public Assistance Program.
FEMA Administrator Pete Gaynor said Monday he was traveling to the state.
Download the We Are Iowa app or subscribe to Local 5's "5 Things to Know" email newsletter.
WATCH: Complete derecho storm coverage from Local 5 on YouTube