HAGÅTÑA, Guam — Governor Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero formally asked President Donald J. Trump on Monday to authorize the activation of the Guam National Guard under federal Title 32 status to support Typhoon Sinlaku disaster recovery operations across Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
The request, dated April 20, 2026, cites catastrophic damage to CNMI homes, critical infrastructure and essential services including power, water, transportation and healthcare systems. Leon Guerrero said Guam lacks the fiscal capacity to fund a state-level activation and that federal authorization is required for immediate deployment.
“Recovery is measured in how quickly we can restore normal life for our people,” Leon Guerrero said. “Every hour matters. Activating our National Guard means more hands in the field, stronger coordination on the ground, and faster relief reaching the families who need it.”
Lieutenant Governor Joshua F. Tenorio said coordination across the region is critical to the recovery effort.
“In moments like this, coordination is everything,” Tenorio said. “This request ensures we can bring the full strength of our response together so that help is not delayed and no community is left waiting.”
The governor’s letter to Trump traces Sinlaku’s development from Invest 90W on April 7 through its Category 5 peak, with sustained winds estimated at up to 170 miles per hour, before it struck the CNMI on April 15. The letter notes that on April 17, the Secretary of Health and Human Services declared a Public Health Emergency for both Guam and the CNMI.
Leon Guerrero also noted that CNMI Governor David M. Apatang formally requested Guam National Guard assistance on April 17, and that Guam stands ready to deploy once federal authorization is granted.
The governor is requesting Title 32, United States Code, Section 502(f) authorization, which allows National Guard members to operate in support of disaster response with federal funding and backing. She directed the letter to the Secretary of Defense and asked that orders be issued without delay.
“We do not recover in isolation,” Leon Guerrero said. “We recover together. And when one island is down, we all step forward.”
