Melania Trump makes rare public statement with tribute to Camp Mystic girls caught up in catastrophic Texas floods
'My deepest sympathy to all of the parents who lost beautiful young souls,' she said after touring the devastation with President Donald Trump. 'We are grieving with you.'
The first couple toured damaged areas along the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, one of the towns devastated by the storms that have killed at least 120. They also were briefed by officials and took the opportunity to thank first responders.
And they later privately met with family members of the victims. 'We pray with them, we hug, we hold hands,' the first lady said of that time.
Melania Trump showed off a bracelet that she was given in honor of the victims from Camp Mystic, where at least 27 girls and counselors died in the flash floods.
'I met beautiful young ladies. They gave me this special bracelet from the camp in honor of all of the little girls that lost their lives. So we are here to honor them and also to give the support,' she said, holding up her arm with a silver charm bracelet on it.
The first lady rarely speaks in public but made a heartfelt statement of support to the grieving and vowed to return to the area.
'I will be back. I promise to them. And I just pray for them and giving them my strength and love,' she said.
More than 100 people are still missing a week after Texas Hill Country was hit by heavy rain and flash floods that destroyed homes and left families picking up the pieces.
Emergency workers and volunteers are still searching through the debris and there are hopes some trapped residents could be found alive.
But the death toll could still rise in the coming days.
She and the president stayed close during the tour and shared a tender moment before they left for Texas.
Outside the White House, Trump put his arm around the First Lady who was casually dressed in jeans, sneakers and a light jacket. Trump wore a blue suit and white shirt but no ties
From Texas they will head to Bedminster, New Jersey, and the Trump National Golf Club there. On Sunday, they'll quietly mark the one-year anniversary of the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pa.
The Trump family will be together in the morning and, that afternoon, Melania Trump will accompany the president to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to watch the Club World Cup Final match.
But, first they'll mark a somber Friday in Texas.
Their visit comes a week after heavy rainfall caused the Guadalupe River in Kerr County to rise 26 feet in less than an hour, killing at least 121, including dozens of children at the nearby Christian summer camp, Camp Mystic.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott joined the Trumps on the trip.
Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn traveled with the Trumps on Air Force One.
Meanwhile, the death toll continues to rise, with more than 160 people still missing.
Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Texas earlier this week.
The president, unlike in other disasters, has not cast blame on anyone for the tragedy, calling it a horrible accident.
'I would just say this is a hundred-year catastrophe, and it's just so horrible to watch,' the president said on Sunday.
It was a marked difference from his comments on California and the devastating wildfires in that state. Trump was loud and vocal in his criticism of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Some of the hardest-hit areas of central Texas are places of strong Republican support that voted for Trump in the 2024 election.
The White House also has pushed back at criticism that FEMA and the National Weather Service was understaffed, making early warning efforts more difficult.
'Blaming President Trump for these floods is a depraved lie, and it serves no purpose during this time of national mourning,' White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at her briefing on Monday.
And, in a Cabinet meeting this week, Trump praised Noem for her department's handling of the response.
The Department of Homeland Security oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
'You had people there as fast as anybody's ever seen,' the president told Noem.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican and close ally of the president, said Trump was saddened by the event, particularly over the loss of the children.
'He could not stop talking about how sad he was for all the little girls who have lost their lives,' said Abbott, who has spoken with Trump repeatedly. 'He recounted his own understanding of what happened with what was really a tsunami wave, a wall of water, that swept too many of them away.'
'And he cares a lot about those young ladies. And he wants to step up and make sure that any need that we have here in Texas is going to be met very quickly,' Abbott added.
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