President Donald Trump is touring the devastation left by flash flooding in central Texas amid rising questions on how native officers responded to the disaster in addition to questions concerning the federal response — together with the destiny of the Federal Emergency Administration Company — that he has to date averted.
Trump’s go to on Friday comes per week after heavy rainfall brought about the Guadalupe River in Kerr County to rise 26 toes in lower than an hour, killing not less than 121, together with dozens of kids on the close by Christian summer time camp, Camp Mystic.
“It is a horrible factor. A horrible factor. No one may even imagine it,” Trump mentioned as he left the White Home on Friday morning with first girl Melania Trump.
“However we will be there with among the nice households and others, the governor, all people,” the president added.
Accompanying him to Kerr County, one of many hardest hit areas, are Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and John Cornyn.
Trump was greeted in Kerrville by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who earlier Friday mentioned the federal authorities up to date Trump’s catastrophe declaration for the state to incorporate extra counties. Trump and Abbott met with first responders on the scene earlier than Trump’s roundtable occasion with native officers.
Donald Trump, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and First Woman Melania Trump meet with native officers and first responders close to the Guadalupe River following devastating flooding that ocurred within the space over the July 4 weekend, in Kerrville, Texas, on July 11, 2025.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP through Getty Pictures
Sen. Ted Cruz, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins and Sen. John Cornyn arrive at Kelly Subject air base in San Antonio, Texas, en route to watch flood harm in Kerrville, Texas, July 11, 2025.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
The seek for greater than 170 folks nonetheless lacking continues with greater than 2,100 responders on the bottom in Texas from native, state and federal companies.
In the meantime, native officers are below scrutiny about what steps had been taken to adequately warn folks and the way lengthy it took for authorities to take motion based mostly on escalating climate and different alerts.
Trump, notably, hasn’t engaged in related criticism about how the disaster was dealt with — as he has accomplished within the case of different disasters.
“I’d simply say this can be a hundred-year disaster, and it is simply so horrible to observe,” Trump mentioned on Sunday.
As an alternative, Trump has largely targeted on his relationship with Abbott — a Republican and powerful ally of the president.
“We have been in contact with Gov. Abbott, I am very near Gov. Abbott, and all people in Texas,” Trump mentioned on Sunday.
Donald Trump gestures alongside Melania Trump, as they arrive on Air Drive One at Kelly Subject air base in San Antonio, Texas, en route to watch flood harm in Kerrville, Texas, July 11, 2025.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
It is a marked distinction to how Trump has reacted previously, together with to the California wildfires earlier this 12 months, the place he blasted California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom and different native Democratic officers.
Among the hardest-hit areas of central Texas, together with Kerr County, are areas of robust Republican assist that voted for Trump within the 2024 election.
Trump authorized a significant catastrophe declaration for Texas earlier this week. On Friday, it was expanded to incorporate extra areas affected by the floods.
Abbott mentioned throughout a information convention on Tuesday that he spoke with Trump that morning and acquired assurances that help could be supplied.
“He couldn’t cease speaking about how unhappy he was for all of the little ladies who’ve misplaced their lives,” Abbott mentioned. “He recounted his personal understanding of what occurred with what was actually a tsunami wave, a wall of water, that swept too a lot of them away.”
“And he cares quite a bit about these younger women. And he needs to step up and guarantee that any want that we’ve got right here in Texas goes to be met in a short time,” Abbott continued.
A primary responder removes his hat to shake palms with Melania Trump, as she, Donald Trump and Greg Abbott go to a scene of devastation alongside the banks of the Guadalupe River, after catastrophic floods, in Kerr County, Texas, July 11, 2025.
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
The White Home has pushed again closely on criticism of the administration’s cuts to the Nationwide Climate Service, which led to some to query if staffing ranges or forecasting skills had been impacted.
“Blaming President Trump for these floods is a wicked lie, and it serves no function throughout this time of nationwide mourning,” White Home press secretary Karoline Leavitt mentioned from the briefing room podium on Monday.
Trump’s additionally averted answering questions on whether or not he’s nonetheless aiming to section out FEMA.
Division of Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem, mentioned the federal response to the floods throughout a Cupboard assembly on Tuesday.
“We as a federal authorities do not handle these disasters, the state does,” Noem contended. “We are available in and assist them. And that is precisely what we did right here on this scenario. FEMA went to an enhanced stage instantly. However as quickly as you signed the foremost catastrophe declaration, we had been in a position to get them sources and {dollars} straight away, similar to you envisioned by way of state lot grants to assist them with cleanup. And we’re nonetheless there in presence.”
Donald Trump and Melania Trump greet first responders close to the Guadalupe River following devastating flooding that ocurred within the space over the July 4 weekend, in Kerrville, Texas, on July 11, 2025.
Brendan Smialowski/AFP through Getty Pictures
Later within the week, although, Noem went after FEMA in the course of the Biden and different earlier administrations — alleging the company has suffered from “gross mismanagement and negligence.”
“The listing of well-known failures is staggering,” Noem claimed in feedback to the FEMA Advisory Council, a process pressure designed to advocate reforms to the company, together with attainable dismantlement of the company because it exists immediately. Trump appointed Abbott as a brand new member to the group again in April.
Performing FEMA Administrator David Richardson had but to go to the affected areas in Texas as of Thursday afternoon.
ABC Information’ Luke Barr and Kelsey Walsh contributed to this report.
