U.S. President Donald Trump today toured flood-affected areas in Texas, commending the efforts of state and local officials. This visit comes amid public criticism that residents may not have been warned quickly enough about the impending disaster.
In the past, President Trump has repeatedly stated his intention to abolish the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as part of a broader plan to reduce the size of government. However, during his visit to the most populous Republican state, he expressed sorrow for the devastation while praising the response of officials and emergency crews.
“The search for the missing continues, the people doing it are incredible. You couldn’t find better people, and they are doing a job like I don’t think anyone else could,” said Trump, who traveled to Texas with First Lady Melania.
Since the disaster on July 4, which has claimed at least 129 lives and left over 170 people missing, the President has refrained from discussing his earlier promises to close FEMA. Instead, he has focused on the unique nature of the events in central Texas and the human toll.
Trump’s shift in focus highlights how tragedy can complicate political calculations, even as he made reducing the number of federal workers a central part of his administration’s initial months, according to AP. Yesterday, he spent considerable time discussing the victims from Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls, where at least 27 people died.
Trump has approved Texas’s request to declare a natural disaster beyond Kerr County, extending it to eight additional counties. This declaration will enable these areas to receive direct financial assistance for recovery and reconstruction.
