Saturday, March 29, 2025
Trump Visits Texas After Catastrophic Flood Kills 120, Leaves 160 Missing
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump arrived in Texas on Friday to assess the devastation caused by a catastrophic flash flood that has claimed the lives of at least 120 people and left more than 160 missing. Authorities have labeled the disaster as a “once-in-a-lifetime” event, as the scale of destruction continues to grow across central parts of the state.
On July 11, the Trumps visited Kerrville, Texas, where they toured the ruins of Louis Hays Park along the Guadalupe River. The park had been hosting a mobile concert stage when the sudden flood hit. Photos show the President and First Lady posing with local emergency service personnel near the debris-strewn area.
Wearing a white suit and a “USA” baseball cap, President Trump appeared solemn as he listened to officials. Melania Trump wore a khaki jacket, olive-green pants, Converse sneakers, and a dark baseball cap, reflecting the somber mood of the visit.
The President was accompanied by Texas Governor Greg Abbott. The group held a field briefing near a fire truck surrounded by uprooted trees. They reviewed damage maps and received updates from emergency authorities on the scale of the destruction.
Later, the couple donned hard hats for photographs with police officers and first responders—a symbolic gesture of solidarity with those managing the crisis.
According to the White House, Trump is also scheduled to visit the State Emergency Operations Center, meet with grieving families and first responders, and receive an in-depth briefing from officials overseeing search, rescue, and recovery operations.
While the administration is still pursuing plans to shift disaster response responsibilities from the federal government to individual states—including proposals to dismantle FEMA—Trump has recently toned down his messaging on the issue in the wake of the July 4th floods.
Simultaneously, the Trump administration is facing fresh criticism in Washington over abrupt staffing cuts at the State Department, particularly in the office coordinating Afghan relocation efforts.
Jessica Bradley Rushing, a former staffer at the Coordinator for Afghan Relocation Efforts (CARE), told the Associated Press she was shocked to receive a termination notice while already on administrative leave.
“I never imagined I’d be at risk,” said Rushing, referring to her surprise at receiving a Reduction in Force (RIF) email. “I opened my inbox and found out I was out, even while on leave.” She added that her former CARE colleagues described the staffing cuts as an internal “massacre.”
The American Foreign Service Association (AFSA), the union representing U.S. diplomats, strongly condemned the cuts, calling them “indifferent to both merit and mission.”
In a statement, AFSA said, “In less than six months, the U.S. has reduced its diplomatic workforce by at least 20% through forced resignations and office closures.” It warned that “at a moment of global fragility, losing further diplomatic capacity is a blow to our national interests.”
The announcement of an 18% staff reduction on Friday—amid rising international instability and ongoing global crises—has intensified scrutiny over the administration’s internal personnel decisions.
The Trump Texas flood visit placed a national spotlight on one of the worst natural disasters in recent memory. As emergency services continue their efforts, the President’s presence provided symbolic support—but also reignited debates over federal disaster policy and staffing decisions within the administration. The dual crises of domestic disaster and diplomatic downsizing now pose significant tests for the White House.
