
Trump 'Heartbroken' Over Texas Flooding as Federal Aid Pledged
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
Dozens of people have died in devastating flash floods that struck central Texas's Hill Country, including 15 children, with 27 girls from Camp Mystic still missing after floodwaters destroyed the Christian summer camp.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem joined Texas Governor Greg Abbott during a press conference on Saturday to announce comprehensive federal disaster response, conveying that President Donald Trump is "absolutely heartbroken by what has happened here in Texas, and the loss of life is absolutely devastating to him and Melania."
The Guadalupe River rose 26 feet in just 45 minutes before daybreak Friday, washing away homes and vehicles in what officials are calling a once-in-a-century flood.
Why It Matters
Months' worth of rainfall fell within just a few hours in Texas' Hill Country on Friday, overwhelming riverfront communities and forcing emergency teams to evacuate children's summer camps threatened by rising water.
In central Kerr County, up to 10 inches of rain inundated the area overnight, causing the Guadalupe River to swell rapidly and overflow its banks, sparking widespread flash flooding.
The flooded area lies about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio.
The flooding has exposed the vulnerability of Texas to extreme weather events and raised urgent questions about warning systems and disaster preparedness for communities and summer camps.
A jogger takes a detour around a flooded running path in Louise Hays Park, along the banks of the Guadalupe River, Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.
A jogger takes a detour around a flooded running path in Louise Hays Park, along the banks of the Guadalupe River, Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas.
AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez
What To Know
More than 850 people have been rescued in the last 36 hours, with search crews using helicopters, boats, and drones to locate victims and rescue people stranded in trees and isolated camps.
Beyond Kerr County's devastating toll, six additional people died in nearby counties, including three in Travis County where several others remain missing, and a firefighter who was swept away while responding to a rescue call.
During Saturday's joint press conference, Noem confirmed that Trump has already committed to honoring Abbott's federal disaster declaration request, ensuring rapid deployment of federal resources.
She emphasized that Trump spoke with her multiple times Saturday morning, wanting to ensure Texans know "how much he loves Texas, how much he's grieving for your families that have lost someone and the beautiful children that we're still looking for and hoping to return to their families."
Gov. Abbott expanded the state's disaster declaration to include additional counties and declared Sunday, July 6th, as a Day of Prayer for flood victims. The governor vowed that authorities would "work around the clock to rescue and recover victims" and promised to search new areas as floodwaters recede. Federal approval of the disaster declaration enables deployment of emergency management personnel, funding for debris removal, and assistance for displaced families.
Coast Guard helicopters and planes are assisting to ensure search operations can continue even in darkness. The flooding caught many residents and campers by surprise despite warnings from AccuWeather and the National Weather Service (NWS) about potential flash flooding hours beforehand. Officials defended their response while acknowledging they hadn't expected such intense rainfall equivalent to months of precipitation in the region.
Declared this Sunday, July 6th, as a Day of Prayer in Texas in response to the floods in the Hill Country.
I invite Texans to join me in prayer for the communities affected by this disaster. pic.twitter.com/vHWt1CQPzW — Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) July 6, 2025
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump's Truth Social message on Saturday: "The Trump Administration is working with State and Local Officials on the ground in Texas in response to the tragic flooding that took place yesterday. Our Secretary of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem, will be there shortly. Melania and I are praying for all of the families impacted by this horrible tragedy. Our Brave First Responders are on site doing what they do best. GOD BLESS THE FAMILIES, AND GOD BLESS TEXAS!"
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said during Saturday's press conference: "I want to thank Governor Abbott for his leadership and know that President Trump is absolutely heartbroken by what has happened here in Texas, and the loss of life is absolutely devastating to him and Melania. This morning, I talked with him several times, and he wanted to make sure that all of you know how much he loves Texas, how much he's grieving for your families that have lost someone and the beautiful children that we're still looking for and hoping to return to their families."
She added: "And that he is absolutely committed to using all the resources of the federal government to help unify families, rescue all those that we're still missing, and return those who maybe we will recover back to their families as soon as possible. And that we will be here walking alongside each other and helping throughout this entire crisis."
Dalton Rice, Kerrville city manager, said on Saturday: "The unknown is how many people were here locally that we don't have numbers for. Numbers are going to change."
Texas Governor Greg Abbott wrote on X: "Tonight, I signed a disaster declaration to ensure local officials have the resources to continue to respond to floods in the Hill Country. Texas will stop at nothing to ensure every missing person is fully accounted for."
Texas Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick said during a news conference on Friday night: "I'm asking the people of Texas, do some serious praying this afternoon—on your knees kind of praying—that we find these young girls and that they're only unaccounted for because they're somewhere that we don't know yet but that they're alive and safe."
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs and holds up an disaster declaration proclamation as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, left, looks on during a press conference about recent flooding along the Guadalupe River, Saturday, July 5,...
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signs and holds up an disaster declaration proclamation as Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, left, looks on during a press conference about recent flooding along the Guadalupe River, Saturday, July 5, 2025, in Kerrville, Texas. (AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez) More
AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez
What Happens Next
Search and rescue operations continue around the clock as torrential rains continued pounding communities outside San Antonio on Saturday with flash flood warnings and watches remaining in effect.
Federal disaster declaration approval accelerates deployment of additional emergency resources and funding. Long-term recovery efforts will focus on rebuilding infrastructure and evaluating flood preparedness measures for the historically flood-prone region.
The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country continues collecting donations for affected families and communities facing extensive property damage and displacement.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Texas flash floods: more rain forecast as death toll passes 100
The death toll from the flash floods that have wreaked devastation in Texas since Friday has passed 100 and is expected to rise further as more victims are found and more rain threatens to deluge the region. Camp Mystic, the girls summer camp on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Texas, has confirmed that 27 children and counsellors died. 'Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly,' a statement on the camp website read. The search continued for missing people, it said, adding: 'We ask for your continued prayers, respect and privacy for each of our families affected.' Related: 'No warning at all': Texas flood survivors question safety planning and officials' response Camp Mystic is a nondenominational Christian institution that has hosted the children of some of Texas's political elite over its 99-year history. Former first lady Laura Bush was a camp counselor there, and past camp attendees included the daughters of former US president Lyndon B Johnson and the former Texas governor John Connally. 'Our hearts are broken by the devastation from the floods in Wimberley and the tragic loss of so many lives – including a precious little Hunt cousin, along with several friends' little girls,' said Tavia Hunt, wife of the Kansas City Chiefs owner, Clark Hunt, in an Instagram post. A Camp Mystic counselor, Chloe Childress, also died in the flooding, a representative of her high school confirmed on Sunday. Childress was remembered as compassionate and known for helping others feel, 'feel safe, valued, and brave', a statement to a local ABC affiliate said. The number of missing people from other nearby camps has not been released, as officials said life-threatening flooding remained a threat as crews continued an urgent search for people still missing. The Guadalupe River rose 26ft (8 meters) in 45 minutes in Friday's pre-dawn hours, after a downpour north of San Antonio. The sheriff of Kerr county, Larry Leitha, has said at least 68 people were found dead in an area of Texas known as the Hill Country. There are several summer camps there. At least 10 other deaths were reported in the counties of Travis, Burnet, Kendall, Tom Green and Williamson, local officials have said. The Texas governor, Greg Abbott, warned that additional rounds of heavy rains lasting into Tuesday could produce more perilous flooding, especially in places where the ground is already saturated. Kerr residents were clearing mud from their destroyed properties and saving what belongings they could. Some said the heroism of the neighbors was all that saved them, as authorities faced questions about whether enough warnings about the downpour were issued, how many actually received them and whether enough was done to prepare for the rain. Reagan Brown told the Associated Press that his parents, in their 80s, managed to escape uphill as water inundated their home in the town of Hunt. When Brown's parents learned that their 92-year-old neighbor was trapped in her attic, they went back and rescued her. 'Then they were able to reach their toolshed up higher ground, and neighbors throughout the early morning began to show up at their toolshed, and they all rode it out together,' Brown said. A video posted on X showed girls from Camp Mystic being evacuated and singing the hymns Pass It On and Amazing Grace as they crossed a bridge over the Guadalupe River, which was still flowing fiercely. Local officials have already faced questions about what kind of flood warning systems and evacuation plans were in place in the county. Judge Rob Kelly, the county's top elected official, told reporters that 'nobody saw this coming'. The county had considered a tornado warning-style siren in the past, but Kelly said the public had 'reeled at the cost'. 'There's going to be a lot of finger-pointing, a lot of second-guessing and Monday morning quarterbacking,' said the Republican US representative Chip Roy, whose district includes Kerr county, according to the Associated Press. 'There's a lot of people saying 'why' and 'how', and I understand that.' The US Department of Homeland Security responded to criticism of warning systems on Sunday on social media by saying mainstream media were 'lying' and that the National Weather Service issued timely warnings. Donald Trump on Sunday signed a major disaster declaration for Kerr county, which is meant to unlock federal resources meant to help local officials. He said he would probably visit on Friday, a week after the deadly flash flood, saying to go earlier might impede search and recovery efforts. Associated Press contributed reporting
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump cuts questioned as role of Fema in Texas highlights agency's importance in natural disaster response
As the cleanup continues from this month's torrential rain storms and flooding in Texas that left more than 120 dead, recently departed officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) say the organization is dangerously underresourced and overstretched in the event of further natural catastrophes. A mass staff exodus, plunging morale and a loss of key leaders has left the main US disaster-relief organization ill-equipped to cope with an anticipated deadly spate of storms in the current hurricane season, former agency insiders say. Fema's weakness, exacerbated by grant cuts imposed by the Trump administration and the loss of institutional knowledge in strategic leadership positions, will be exposed if the nation is faced with more than one disaster simultaneously, according to Michael Coen, the agency's former chief of staff. Related: Trump tours Texas flood damage as disaster tests vow to shutter Fema In an interview, Coen – who left his post in January after Donald Trump took office – said the officials at Fema had been preparing contingency plans that would enable the agency to meet the demands of hurricane season, which generally runs from early June until the end of November, with fewer resources. 'They understand that they don't have the resources they've had in past years, whether it's funding or even some contracts have lapsed,' he said. 'They are trying to make decisions so that they can handle multiple events at one time.' But since Trump's inauguration, the agency has seen an estimated 2,000 departures through resignations or retirements, which may have rendered it incapable of coping with the widespread carnage likely to be wreaked by a succession of tropical storms. 'I'm concerned that Fema is going to be at a disadvantage because they don't have the resources to respond to the disasters we know could happen, which could be two or three concurrent disasters at the same time,' said Coen. 'Fema has eroded capacity since President Trump became president. Staff have departed. There have been cuts to grant programs and they are going to be running into a financial challenge with the disaster relief fund, because the president hasn't requested supplemental funding from Congress.' Coen – a disaster relief career official who was also Fema's chief of staff during Barack Obama's presidency – said the cuts could mean the agency running out of funds to respond to disasters by the end of this month. 'Fema is currently supporting the state of Texas with the flooding and the urban search and rescue. But if in a week or two they also have to respond to a hurricane in the Gulf coast or an earthquake on the west coast, Fema is not going to be able to meet the expectations of the American people.' The concerns over Fema's state of readiness come amid signs that Trump may have had a change of heart about the agency's future after months of signaling that he favored its abolition. Last month, he said the administration planned to 'phase out' Fema after the current hurricane season to put more responsibility on individual states to respond to disasters. He previously described the agency – established in 1979 by Jimmy Carter with the goal of coordinating the US government's response to disasters – as 'not good' and said he would 'recommend that Fema go away'. But ahead of Trump's Friday visit to the worst-hit Texas flood areas, White House officials indicated that eliminating Fema entirely was no longer under consideration, the Washington Post reported. The newspaper quoted an unnamed official as saying changes would probably amount to 'rebranding' the agency while stressing the leadership role of the states in disaster response. Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary – who has overall responsibility for Fema and has chaired a review council looking into the agency's future – said in the wake of the Texas floods that Fema would be 'eliminated as it exists today and remade into a responsive agency', a hardline stance that nonetheless stopped short of abolition. Coen said the Texas floods had proved Fema's worth: 'This flood is a defining moment and brings clarity for the necessity of the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Fema is an essential agency for the federal government to support states and support the American people in their greatest time of need.' But he said grant cuts had rendered it less effective and may have caused 'an unnecessary loss of life' in the Guadalupe River area of the Texas Hill Country, the worst-hit flood region. 'One of the grant programs they cut was the Building Resilient Infrastructure Communities, which was a program that would have funded things like the siren system to line a river like the [Guadalupe] in Kerr county,' he said. 'Not that many people needed to lose their lives if more mitigation measures had been put in place. With the president cutting a grant program that provides federal funding to increase mitigation in the country, it only is foreboding for the future on what could happen to other communities if they don't mitigate and they don't have access to federal funds.' The picture of an agency undermined by the Trump administration's hostility was corroborated by a former mid-level Fema official, who told the Guardian that staff had left because they felt disrespected. 'It's no secret that a lot of high-level leaders have left the agency,' the ex-official said. 'It's clear that Fema has lost a lot of leadership capability.' Among those who have left are Tony Robinson, who was Fema's head administrator for the region that includes Texas, as well as his deputy. Also recently departing was Robert Samaan, the administrator for the region that covers Florida and several other states in the hurricane-prone south-east. 'Those are two of the three most critical regional administrators for hurricane season, and for them to leave at this time leaves people shaken for sure,' the former staffer said. 'The lack of experienced leadership is certainly going to hamstring efforts. It's not to say that there aren't other good leaders who will step up. But LinkedIn is littered with people whose names I knew who have left.' The departure of 16 senior executives was announced on a single day in May. Compounding the problem is the damage to the morale of those remaining from what insiders say is the scornful attitude of Noem and Fema's acting administrator, David Richardson, a former marine artillery officer with no previous experience in disaster management. Richardson, who has been in the post since May, caused a stir among senior staff when he said during a briefing that he did not know there was a hurricane season. It was unclear if the comments were meant as a joke. Richardson was installed after Noem ousted his predecessor, Cameron Hamilton, after he told a congressional hearing that he did not favor Fema's abolition. The new administrator also threatened to 'run right over' any staff members who resisted reforms. 'I, and I alone in Fema, speak for Fema. I'm here to carry out the president's intent for Fema,' he reportedly said. Coen affirmed the picture of staff leaving due to fears for Fema's future. 'The reason many employees have departed since January 20 is because they had a fear that they were going to lose their job,' he said. 'Also, they didn't feel respected by the current administration. The current employees still there are supporting each other, but if they feel they are not getting support and understanding of how much they sacrifice when they go to disasters, it does have an impact on their mental health and wellbeing.' Noem, meanwhile, has drawn criticism for issuing a decree requiring that any expenditures or contracts worth $100,000 or more are submitted to her for prior approval – a requirement that critics say could impede rapid disaster response. 'Typically, pre-Trump, a decision like that would come at a much lower level than the secretary of homeland security so you could get out and mobilize,' the former official said. 'It's just unconscionable that you would centralize a decision like that, [which] truly, on reflection, would have led to the loss of life, or at least the loss of the ability to find the remains of the victims.' The Department of Homeland Security has publicly defended the directive as necessary to root out 'waste, fraud and abuse' and deliver 'accountability' to US taxpayers.

USA Today
4 hours ago
- USA Today
Texas flooding death toll rises; Kerrville overwhelmed by generosity: Updates
Search crews continued the grueling task of recovering the missing as more potential flash flooding threatened Texas Hill Country. Over a week since an inundated Guadalupe River sent floodwaters tearing through homes and youth camps in Texas, optimism for rescuing any of the dozens of people still missing from Hill Country on Saturday has steadily faded as the death toll continued to rise. Hundreds of rescuers, many of them volunteers, have scoured miles of destruction for any sign of the missing. But they haven't rescued anyone alive since July 4, the day of the flood, officials in the hardest-hit Kerr County said. Some 160 people are missing from the county alone. As of the morning of July 12, the death toll had risen to at least 129, with authorities in Kerr and Travis counties reporting more bodies recovered. The toll in Kerr County rose to at least 103, including 67 adults and 36 children, according to the county's Joint Information Center. In Travis County, the toll rose to nine from eight, spokesperson Hector Nieto confirmed to USA TODAY. Officials previously said at least 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, the beloved all-girls Christian camp, were among the dead. "I've never seen anything like this, and I've seen a lot of bad ones," President Donald Trump said as he and first lady Melania Trump surveyed the damage on Friday. "It's hard to believe the devastation." In Kerrville, community's generosity has surpassed some needs The overwhelming response from community members near and far has become too generous, officials in Kerrville said on Saturday. The Kerrville Police Department said so many people have brought food for its staff, some has gone to waste. All its needs, including meals, are taken care of, the police department said. The police department also asked law enforcement officers in the region to stop showing up unannounced to help, as it is coordinating with agencies to assign officers to certain tasks. On Friday, the city of Kerrville asked volunteers to stop coming to help, as the most urgent needs are being handled by first responders and families within the community who were affected by the flooding. "Your generosity and support mean more than words can express," the city said. "Please don't lose heart – your help WILL be needed. As the days and weeks unfold, there will be many opportunities to step in and support our neighbors. We promise to share updates as specific volunteer needs arise." What happens if they aren't found? Grim reality sets in More than 10 months after Hurricane Helene spawned floods that ripped through western North Carolina last year, the bodies of Lysa Gindinova's 3-year-old cousin, Yevhenii Segen, and their grandmother, Tatiana Novitnia, have still not been found. The two were swept away by floodwaters, and the family wrestles with the fact they may never see them again. 'It doesn't feel real,' Gindinova told USA TODAY. Families in Texas are starting to face that same haunting realization after the deadly Hill Country flash floods as volunteers continue to scour the region for the missing. Much like last year's North Carolina floods, the Texas floods left behind mountains of debris: piles of crushed trailers and cars, stacks of downed cypress trees and walls of hardened mud that make recovery challenging. The amount of debris and destruction have made the grim task slow and taxing. Troy Tillman, 34, a sheriff's detective from just outside Lubbock, Texas, described uncovering a Ford F-250 pickup – completely submerged in mud and rock along the Guadalupe in Center Point, about 10 miles downriver from Kerrville. If a 3-ton truck like that is buried, Tillman thought, what else could be entombed at their feet? Read more. ‒ Rick Jervis and Christopher Cann Volunteers expected to help with recovery Saturday Kerr County said it is expecting a large number of "spontaneous volunteers" to help with recovery efforts on Saturday. Volunteers have been a key part of search and rescue in the days since the flood, with officials sometimes asking volunteers to stay away so qualified personnel can conduct some of the grueling work. Volunteers are asked to register with Texas Community Recovery and check in at Tivy Antler Stadium in Kerrville before attending a safety briefing. Officials continue to grapple with question of blame Officials in Texas have faced relentless questions about what could have been done to prevent the high death toll and short amount of warning time in the Hill Country flooding. In Kerr County, Sheriff Larry Leitha has said he's not dodging the questions, but is focusing on the top priority of locating each missing person and identifying each victim found. Trump on Friday rejected concerns about whether communities along the Guadalupe River were adequately prepared for the disaster. 'I think everybody did an incredible job under the circumstances,' Trump said. 'Only a very evil person would ask a question like that.' Gov. Greg Abbott earlier in the week said "blame" was the "word choice of losers." Is more flooding on the way? As cleanup and recovery continues in Texas Hill Country, a renewed threat of flash flooding is in store over the weekend, forecasters said. Scattered showers are expected to develop Saturday afternoon and evening in south-central Texas, including parts of areas that already flooded. Heavy rain can quickly run off already wet ground, forecasters said. In Kerrville, there is about a 35% chance of an inch of rain falling through Sunday morning, the weather service office serving Austin and San Antonio said. "The expected heavy rainfall totals along with already sensitive, wet antecedent conditions may lead to scattered to potentially numerous instances of flash flooding," the National Weather Service said. Abbott activated emergency response resources on Friday at the Texas Division of Emergency Management in response to the forecast: "Texas continues to stand ready to deploy all necessary resources to support Texans as severe storms move across our state,' he said. Over 13.5 million people were under flood watches from the National Weather Service across parts of Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico on Saturday morning. How many died in Texas flooding? Here's a breakdown of the Texas flooding death toll, according to county officials: Contributing: Christopher Cann, Joey Garrison, Bart Jansen, Karissa Waddick and Michael Loria, USA TODAY