U.S. President Donald Trump has defended both federal and state responses to the devastating flash floods that struck Kerr County, Texas, on July 4, claiming the lives of at least 120 people, including dozens of children.
During a visit to the flood-ravaged Hill Country region, Trump praised Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem for their roles in managing the crisis. “I think everyone did an incredible job under the circumstances,” he said at a roundtable in Kerr County, the epicentre of the disaster.
Tensions flared when Trump was confronted with criticism from grieving families who claimed that flood warnings were not issued in time. “I don’t know who you are, but only a very evil person would ask a question like that,” he responded angrily.
The Trump administration is under mounting scrutiny over whether proposed budget cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) may have hindered early detection or response efforts. Federal officials maintain that the cuts did not impact NWS storm forecasting, despite ongoing staff shortages in local offices.
Trump also sidestepped questions earlier in the week about his plans to dismantle FEMA or shift its responsibilities to state governments. “I’ll tell you some other time,” he said to a reporter on Tuesday.
Local preparedness and infrastructure have also been called into question. Kerr County had previously opted not to implement an early-warning system, citing unsuccessful attempts to secure state funding. Lawrence Walker, 67, a longtime Kerrville resident, said, “It’s been fine since the water was at 8 feet,” but criticized the lack of preventive measures before the flood hit.
Governor Abbott has firmly rejected calls for accountability. “That’s the word choice of losers,” he said when pressed about whether the state could have done more to mitigate the flood’s impact.
Texas lawmakers are expected to convene a special legislative session later this month to investigate the disaster and allocate relief funding.
