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Fox News
24 minutes ago
- Fox News
Noem says criticism of federal response to Texas flooding is ‘all politics': ‘Disservice to our country'
Print Close By Stephen Sorace Published July 13, 2025 Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Sunday said criticisms over the federal response to the deadly flooding in Texas were politically motivated, calling one Democratic lawmaker's accusations "absolutely despicable." Noem appeared on "Fox News Sunday," where she defended against claims that the FEMA response was delayed, and the assertion from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., that President Donald Trump and Noem fired FEMA employees as flood victims called the agency. "You know, this memo and this criticism, I think, is all politics because I was there," Noem said. "I was there and every time somebody asked for something, we said, absolutely, it'll be here as soon as possible and it'll be done." Noem said that she and over 700 FEMA workers were in the area within hours of a call with Texas officials. The Coast Guard also immediately deployed following the call, she added. TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S TEXAS FLOOD DISASTER RESPONSE 'FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT' FROM BIDEN'S APPROACH: NOEM The July Fourth floods killed at least 129 people in central Texas. Authorities believe more than 160 people may still be missing in Kerr County. The secretary said this operation was "the fastest in history that FEMA has ever responded to a disaster" and, unlike FEMA's poor track record under the Biden administration, this time FEMA "operated how President Trump wanted it to operate." "I'm very proud of the fact that we didn't go there and manage it," she said. "We went there and allowed the local officials to manage it, to run it. The state did a fantastic job. We're there to support and give them what resources they need." NOEM RIPS CNN REPORT CLAIMING SHE DELAYED DHS RESPONSE TO TEXAS FLOOD AS 'ABSOLUTELY TRASH' When asked about Murphy's claims about victims' calls to FEMA going unanswered in the days following the deadly flooding due to firings, Noem called his words "an absolute lie." "That's what I think is so disingenuous and horrible about the situation. Nobody was fired, no contracts were ended, everybody was there answering calls and doing all they could to help the people of Texas," Noem said. "So the fact that Democrats are politicizing this while people are still looking for their babies, they're still looking for their family members, I think it's absolutely despicable." Noem said Americans "need to know the truth" of how Democrats are "taking advantage of this situation to help themselves politically." "It's a disservice not just to the people of Texas and these families that are going through grief right now, it's a disservice to our country," she said. Fox News Digital reached out to Murphy's office for comment on Noem's remarks, but they did not immediately respond. Noem was also asked about a federal judge issuing a temporary restraining order against many of the ICE operations that have been carried out in Southern California. She called the judge's ruling "ridiculous" and said the federal government will appeal. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP "We always built our operations, our investigations on casework, on knowing individuals that we needed to target because they were criminals, because they had conducted violent crimes against individuals in their communities or had overstayed their orders, had violated federal laws, and that is always how this is done," Noem said. Print Close URL
Fox News
24 minutes ago
- Fox News
AOC should be sued 'into bankruptcy' over latest attack on Trump, stunned critics seethe
New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is being accused of defaming President Donald Trump by calling him a "rapist" on social media amid controversy over the Department of Justice's handling of the Jeffrey Epstein case. The far-left Democrat, who has traded barbs with Trump repeatedly across both of their political careers, weighed in on the current controversy surrounding disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was found dead in his New York City jail cell in 2019 after facing federal charges related to child sex trafficking. "Wow who would have thought that electing a rapist would have complicated the release of the Epstein Files?" Ocasio-Cortez posted to X on Friday. She appeared to be referencing the 2023 civil trial leveled against Trump by writer E. Jean Carroll. A jury found Trump liable of sexual assault, but not of rape, which critics of Ocasio-Cortez repeatedly cited in their condemnation of her use of the word "rapist." The comments came after the Trump Department of Justice said there is no list of Epstein clients. But Trump supporters and legal experts alike warned AOC to lawyer up after dropping the "R" bomb. "The President should sue AOC into bankruptcy. I realize she's trying to raise her profile but this is way way too far," legal analyst Phil Holloway posted to X on Saturday in response to a message from Ocasio-Cortez. "Even under the ridiculously lenient standards of NY Times v. Sullivan, you've managed to incur defamation liability Wow," Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee posted to X in response. "Why didn't you guys release the Epstein files over the last 4 years? Maybe you were too busy covering for Joe Biden… or, could it have something to do with another former Democrat President?" Oklahoma Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin posted in response to Ocasio-Cortez. "Well we have grounds for a huge defamation suit here you idiot because Donald Trump has never been indicted for rape much less convicted," host of YourVoice America Bill Mitchell posted to X. "You realize your X account doesn't carry the same protections to defame people that you enjoy during congressional proceedings?" another X account posted. Other critics of the lawmaker's message said the use of the word "rapist" comes on the heels of ABC paying Trump $15 million, which will go toward funding his presidential library, over George Stephanopoulos' claim in March of last year that Trump was found civilly liable of rape in the E. Jean Carroll case. Trump has repeatedly denied even knowing Carroll, claiming she made false allegations that he raped her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s in an effort to sell books decades later. "Donald Trump has not been criminally convicted of being a rapist. This is defamatory. And I hope you are sued by Trump for this the same way George Stephanopoulos was sued and forced to pay Trump $15 million dollars. I hope you have millions ready for Trump, Porky. @AOC," Trump ally Laura Loomer posted in response to Ocasio-Cortez. "This is gonna be fun. AOC is so dumb she just called Trump a rapist – after ABC was forced to fork over $16 million in a settlement with Trump after George Stephanopoulos called him a rapist," Townhall contributor Rachel Alexander posted to X. In March 2024, Stephanopoulos asserted in a tense interview with Republican Rep. Nancy Mace that Trump was found "liable for rape" in a civil case. Stephanopoulos showed a clip of Mace discussing being a victim of rape before he asked her, "How do you square your endorsement of Donald Trump with the testimony we just saw?" "You've endorsed Donald Trump for president. Judges and two separate juries have found him liable for rape and for defaming the victim of that rape," Stephanopoulos said, alluding to the legal victory by Trump accuser E. Jean Carroll. Stephanopoulos repeated the claim on rape 10 times during the interview, Fox Digital previously reported, before Trump filed a defamation suit. ABC News and Stephanopoulos reached a settlement agreement with Trump's legal team ahead of his second inauguration, paying $15 million and announcing the network and anchor "regret" the comments made on air. "Editor's Note: ABC News and George Stephanopoulos regret statements regarding President Donald J. Trump made during an interview by George Stephanopoulos with Rep. Nancy Mace on ABC's This Week on March 10, 2024," an editor's note in an article focused on the interview states. Other social media commenters defended Ocasio-Cortez's use of the word "rapist," arguing she did not use Trump's name in her post and that a defamation case was unlikely. Fox News Digital reached out to Ocasio-Cortez's office on Sunday for additional comment on the matter, but did not immediately receive a reply. "AOC likes to play pretend like she's from the block, but in reality she's just a sad, miserable blockhead who is trying to over-compensate for her lack of self-confidence that has followed her for her entire life," White House communication director Steven Cheung said in comment provided to Fox News Digital on Sunday. "Instead, she should get some serious help for her obvious and severe case of Trump Derangement Syndrome that has rotted her pea-sized brain," he added.
Yahoo
29 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Trump allies open new front with Powell over building rehab
(Bloomberg) — President Donald Trump and his allies have seized upon a new way to criticize the head of the US central bank: his handling of an expensive renovation of the Federal Reserve's headquarters. Singer Akon's Failed Futuristic City in Senegal Ends Up a $1 Billion Resort Why Did Cars Get So Hard to See Out Of? How German Cities Are Rethinking Women's Safety — With Taxis Philadelphia Reaches Pact With Workers to End Garbage Strike The construction project offers the clearest example yet of how Trump and those in his orbit are looking for every opportunity to scrutinize Jerome Powell's leadership at the central bank, even beyond his economic stewardship. Some administration officials also appear to be building a case that the renovation is the opportunity Trump needs to meet the high legal standard required to remove Powell from the Fed's Board of Governors. The heightened pressure coincides with Trump's relentless calls for the Fed to lower interest rates — which Powell and fellow policymakers have so far ignored this year. Trump has lambasted the Fed chief in turn and made clear he'll replace Powell when his term as chair expires in May 2026 with someone who wants lower rates. 'I think what we need is regime change at the Fed, and that's not just about the chairman, it's about a range of people,' former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh said on Fox News's Sunday Morning Futures. 'It's about breaking some heads, because the way they've been doing business is not working.' Warsh, who also called for rate cuts, has been widely mentioned as a possible replacement for Powell. In recent days, administration officials and some congressional Republicans have zeroed in on the renovation project, taking issue with its rising costs, what they consider extravagant design features and Powell's recent testimony about the construction before Congress. Kathryn Judge, a law professor at Columbia University who studies the Fed, said the questions 'could feed a negative stereotype that the Fed is too far removed from the realities that most people are facing.' That dynamic, she said, could 'undermine its credibility with the broader public and potentially actually serve President Trump's claims that what we need is a Federal Reserve who is more accountable to the president and to the people that elected him.' Kevin Hassett, director of the National Economic Council at the White House, said Powell's future depends on how the Fed chair answers questions about the renovation costs. 'It was never envisioned by the people that voted for the construction of the Fed, that the Fed could print money and toss it around willy nilly,' Hassett said on ABC's This Week. The Fed has said its renovations of two historic buildings at its Washington headquarters are designed to reduce costs over time by consolidating its operations. But Powell's critics have homed in on the growing costs, along with media reports that have characterized several of the renovation's design features as lavish. 'It's outrageous,' Warsh said on Fox. 'Maybe a new paint job, maybe some fresh computer terminals, maybe some brand new models at the Fed so we can improve the conduct of monetary policy.' Fed budget documents show cost estimates for the project have risen to $2.5 billion this year, compared with $1.9 billion in 2023. The project's 'construction cost estimates have continued to increase, particularly within the mechanical, electrical and plumbing trades, due to competitive bid pricing,' the Fed's 2025 budget says. In a July 10 letter addressed to Powell, Russ Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, demanded Powell provide more details. 'Instead of attempting to right the Fed's fiscal ship, you have plowed ahead with an ostentatious overhaul of your Washington DC headquarters,' Vought said in the letter posted to social media. In the post, Vought also asserted that Powell had 'grossly mismanaged the Fed.' White House spokesman Kush Desai said in a statement that the president 'can both call out the Fed for failing to do its job by its own stated objectives and ensure that taxpayer money is not wasted on things that do not benefit the American people.' This specific line of criticism comes as Powell has declined to answer questions about whether he will depart the central bank when his chairmanship is over. His underlying term as a governor extends into 2028. With one exception, past Fed chairs have exited when they surrender their leadership role. Should Powell stay on, it could pose a roadblock to Trump's ambition to exert more influence over monetary policy once he installs a new chair. That will already prove difficult given that interest rates are set by a majority vote of the 12-member Federal Open Market Committee. If Powell remains, he'll deny Trump the opportunity to fill another open governor seat. It would also introduce the possibility that Powell retains more influence over the committee than its new chair, who may lack credibility among Fed officials. The drama developing around the Fed also follows a May Supreme Court ruling that signaled it would likely shield the Fed in any decision that allows Trump to oust top officials at two other independent federal agencies. Although legal challenges in that case continue, the decision suggested that the removal of any Fed governor would still require cause, which has been interpreted by the courts to mean inefficiency, neglect of duty or malfeasance in office. Trump has continued to say he won't fire Powell but said the Fed chief should resign if allegations that he lied to lawmakers prove true. 'What they're trying to manufacture is some 'cause' not related to monetary policy disagreements,' said Scott Alvarez, a former general counsel at the Fed, who added he did not believe the renovation rose to the level of cause for dismissal. Powell and the Fed have sought to counter the criticisms leveled over the renovations. On Friday, the central bank added a 'Frequently Asked Questions' page about the project to its website. It describes why costs have increased and disputes some of the design features that critics have targeted. 'The Federal Reserve takes seriously the responsibility to be a good steward of public resources,' the page says. A Fed official said that Powell had been truthful during last month's Senate Banking Committee hearing where he discussed the project. Powell acknowledged cost overruns for the renovations in response to Republicans' questions, but pushed back on the notion the project is extravagant. 'There's no VIP dining room, there's no new marble,' Powell said. 'There are no special elevators — there's just, there are old elevators that have been there — there are no new water features, there's no beehives and there's no roof terrace gardens.' Powell added that the project has 'continued to evolve' and that some earlier features 'are no longer in the plans.' He also agreed that Fed staff would brief Senate Republicans' staff about the project. That briefing is expected to happen later this month. The OMB's Vought, in his letter to Powell, said the testimony raised 'serious questions' about whether the project is in compliance with a law governing such construction. 'Although minor deviations from approved plans may be inevitable, your testimony appears to reveal that the project is out of compliance with the approved plan with regard to major design elements,' Vought wrote. A 2021 document from the National Capital Planning Commission – the federal agency that reviews and approves projects like the Fed's – is the most recent, publicly available review of the full scope of the renovation. The Fed official said an external architect and engineering firm had not advised that the planned changes needed to be resubmitted to the NCPC. Meanwhile, Trump recently appointed three White House officials to serve on the NCPC. One of them, James Blair, a White House deputy chief of staff, said recently on social media he would request a review of the project and a site visit immediately. 'At a time when the Fed is running an operating deficit, maintains high interest rates and is receiving significant public scrutiny, one has to wonder whether the so-called 'Taj Mahal near the National Mall' project is in the best interests of the board & the public it serves,' Blair wrote. Judge, the Columbia professor, said it is appropriate for the White House to scrutinize the Fed's spending to ensure accountability. But in this case, the context is relevant, she said. 'It's very hard to believe that that is what the administration is doing, given how hard the administration has fought to get Powell to lower rates and to lower rates more quickly, and to get Powell out of office more quickly,' Judge said. 'It makes the concerns about the cost of renovation look like a pretense and that's not a healthy way to ensure ongoing credibility.' —With assistance from María Paula Mijares Torres. 'Our Goal Is to Get Their Money': Inside a Firm Charged With Scamming Writers for Millions Trump's Cuts Are Making Federal Data Disappear Soccer Players Are Being Seriously Overworked Will Trade War Make South India the Next Manufacturing Hub? Trade War? No Problem—If You Run a Trade School ©2025 Bloomberg L.P.
