President Donald Trump is heading to Texas on Friday to witness firsthand the devastation caused by catastrophic floods that have left at least 120 people dead and over 170 still missing, according to a report published by The Associated Press. The visit comes as questions mount over Trump’s repeated promises to shut down FEMA — the very agency leading the relief efforts.
Touring the Damage
Trump has largely avoided discussing FEMA’s future since the July 4 flooding. “Nobody ever saw a thing like this coming,” he told NBC News on Thursday, adding, “This is a once-in-every-200-year deal.”
Trump said he held off visiting earlier so as to not impede rescue and relief efforts.
Political Messaging Meets Human Tragedy
According to the report, Trump is expected to take an aerial tour of the hardest-hit areas before stopping at the state’s emergency operations center. He will be joined by First Lady Melania Trump, Texas Governor Greg Abbott, and Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz.
Trump praised federal efforts at a Cabinet meeting, telling Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, “You had people there as fast as anybody’s ever seen.”
FEMA’s Future Still Unclear
He has vowed for months to “phase out” FEMA and shift disaster response to states. But when asked this week if that is still the plan, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “That is a policy discussion that will continue,” as reported by the AP.
Noem, meanwhile, is co-chairing a council reviewing FEMA’s structure. “We are cutting through the paperwork of the old FEMA,” she told Trump. “Streamlining it, much like your vision.”
On the Ground in Texas
Kerr County residents noted that evacuating earlier could’ve made things worse. “If you would have evacuated at 5 in the morning, all of those people would have been washed away on this road,” a resident told AP.
Noem described harrowing scenes from her Texas visit, including the tragedy at Camp Mystic, where at least 27 young girls died. “Just hugging and comforting people matters a lot,” the AP quoted her as saying. “This is a time for all of us in this country to remember that we were created to serve each other.”
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