WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump visited central Texas on Friday for a firsthand look at the destruction caused by deadly floodwaters in the early morning hours of the Fourth of July holiday.
The disaster has claimed at least 120 lives, and more than 160 people remain missing.
After touring flooded areas, the president began his remarks in Kerrville by expressing astonishment at the scale of the disaster.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” he said. “A little narrow river that becomes a monster.”
Trump talked about the loss of life from the flooding, saying “dozens and dozens of precious children taken from us.”
The trip comes as Texas Gov. Greg Abbott requests additional federal assistance for the state’s hardest-hit counties. Abbott has vowed to support recovery efforts until all victims are accounted for.
Abbott accompanied the president, along with Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who visited the disaster zone Saturday.
Trump administration has pushed to shutter FEMA
Trump has declared the Texas floods a major disaster, making federal funding available to support emergency operations.
The administration has rejected criticism that its past budget cuts contributed to a slower response.
Friday’s trip came amid growing controversy over the administration’s push to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Trump has previously said he wanted to begin “phasing out” the agency after this hurricane season to “wean off of FEMA” and “bring it down to the state level.”
Kristi Noem: States should be responsible for emergency management
Noem has echoed calls for FEMA to be eliminated, reiterating this week that states, not the federal government, should lead emergency management.
“Texas is strong,” she said during Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting. “We, as a federal government, don’t manage these disasters. The state does. We come in and support them, and that’s exactly what we did here in this situation.”
Noem said the administration is “cutting through the paperwork” and streamlining FEMA, aligning with Trump’s vision to overhaul or eliminate the agency.
Despite the federal support currently in Texas, Noem has blasted FEMA for what she called past failures.
“God created us to take care of each other,” she said, emphasizing her preference for residents helping each other in the wake of tragic events instead of actions by the federal government.
White House calls for FEMA reform
Despite previous suggestions that FEMA be eliminated, a White House official told NewsNation on Friday that a FEMA review council plans to “reform” the agency, adding that federal response is meant to “supplement state actions.”
“While Federal assistance was always intended to supplement state actions, not replace those actions, FEMA’s outsized role created a bloated bureaucracy that disincentivized state investment in their own resilience,” White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said in a statement to NewsNation. “President Trump is committed to right-sizing the Federal government while empowering State and local governments by enabling them to better understand, plan for, and ultimately address the needs of their citizens.”
The 12-member review council, which was established by Trump and includes the Texas governor, met for the second time this week.
In November, the council is expected to release a report including recommendations on how to improve federal disaster response.
Critics slam Trump administration for politicizing disaster
Critics have argued the administration is politicizing a critical agency that helps states prepare for natural disasters at a time when many families are still waiting for answers and help.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.