On July 11, 2025, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump visited the central region of Texas on Friday to inspect the flood-affected area that struck unexpectedly the previous week. The disaster has resulted in at least 120 deaths and over 170 people missing, with search and rescue efforts now entering the seventh day.
Trump’s visit will focus on Kerr County, the most severely affected area by the disaster, where he will meet with Texas Governor Greg Abbott, congressional members, and local officials. He is also expected to interact with families of the victims and frontline rescue workers, as well as receive briefings from local authorities. Kerr County, located in an area known as “Flash Flood Alley,” is one of the most flood-prone regions in the United States.
According to meteorological data, within an hour in the early morning of July 4th, rainfall exceeded one foot, causing the Guadalupe River’s water level to rise from about 1 foot to 34 feet (approximately 10.4 meters), leading to the destruction of riverside buildings and the engulfment of dozens of people. The casualties include at least 36 children, most of whom were from the local summer camp “Camp Mystic.”
Post-disaster search and rescue operations are still ongoing, with scrutiny on the response performances from both federal and state governments. Reports indicate that several years ago, Kerr County refused to install early warning systems due to the lack of state government subsidies. Now, some local and federal officials are being questioned about whether sufficient warnings could have been issued in advance.
The Trump administration has mobilized the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support the disaster area, providing disaster relief funds, temporary accommodations, and property loss assistance. Despite Trump’s previous statements about plans to downsize or abolish FEMA and shift disaster response responsibilities to states, his current federal response attitude appears proactive. He stated, “We showed up on time, and Kristi Noem was the first official I saw on TV.” Trump was referring to Kristi Noem, who leads the Department of Homeland Security overseeing FEMA and other agencies.
Noem, a former governor of South Dakota known for her conservative stance on federal funding, swiftly mobilized federal resources after the flood disaster, signing multiple emergency contracts, including $1.6 million worth of housing inspections, customer service centers, and mental health support services. During an interview with Fox News, she refuted CNN’s reports about delayed federal aid, saying, “The Coast Guard and Border Tactical Response Teams were on the scene immediately after the Texas flood occurred.”
Noem stated, “Every support requested by Texas was provided promptly.” She praised Texas Governor Abbott and State Emergency Management Director Nim Kidd for their “excellent” performance, with no reports of delayed or insufficient resources.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer this week called for government oversight agencies to investigate whether the National Weather Service (NWS) had its warning capabilities affected due to budget cuts. The NWS responded by stating that additional personnel were deployed to the Texas disaster area over the holiday weekend.
According to reports from The Hill and Reuters, Trump’s visit to the disaster site in Texas marks his third visit to a major disaster site during his tenure, following inspections of hurricane-ravaged North Carolina and wildfire-affected areas in California. Officials accompanying him on this trip include Senators John Cornyn, Ted Cruz, and Congressman Pete Sessions.