12
Jul
Jul
TRUMP VISITS FLOOD-RAVAGED TEXAS, PROMISES SUPPORT
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CapitalTimesNews / 2 weeks
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- 2 min read
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited flood-ravaged central Texas, where at least 120 people were killed and 161 are still missing. The president described the devastation as “unlike anything I’ve ever seen” and likened the Guadalupe River to a “monster” during the disaster. During a roundtable with Texas politicians and first responders, Trump faced tough questioning about whether enough was done to alert people of the dangers. “Only an evil person would ask a question like that,” he responded. Texas Emergency Management chief Nim Kidd said over 12,300 volunteers are participating in the search and rescue efforts. The First Lady met with families who lost loved ones, expressing her condolences and showing a bracelet given to her by one of the Camp Mystic families. “We are grieving with you. Our nation is grieving with you,” she said. Camp Mystic, where at least 27 people died, does not have safety accreditation from the American Camp Association (ACA), but it was licensed by the state authority in Texas and passed an inspection on July 2, two days before the floods. Trump’s visit comes amid questions about his proposal to dismantle the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Some ex-FEMA staffers believe transferring federal-level operations to individual states is impractical, citing Texas’s own request for assistance just two days after the disaster. “We want to wean off of FEMA,” Trump said previously, suggesting states should take on more disaster preparedness and response responsibilities. However, former FEMA press secretary Jeremy Edwards argued that this approach may not work for states with limited capabilities. Governor Abbott and Nim Kidd discussed the need for better alert systems, with Abbott saying they need to “devise a response” tailored to the community. Trump acknowledged the challenge, saying, “A thing like this has never happened,” and promising to “figure something out.” The search and rescue mission continues, with over 2,000 volunteers and authorities involved. Kerr County officials have not rescued anyone alive since the day of the floods, and teams with cadaver dogs are being sent out to recover bodies.
