WASHINGTON (NewsNation) — President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump will visit central Texas on Friday for a first-hand 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.
Trump is set to tour flood-ravaged communities in the state’s Hill Country region and is expected to underscore the White House’s close coordination with state officials in ongoing search and recovery efforts.
“There were real pros responsible for pulling out a lot of people, and we got them there fast,” Trump said Tuesday at a nearly two-hour meeting with his Cabinet. “Texas had some good ones too. The response has been incredible.”
What we know about the Texas flood victims
Trump is expected to meet with local officials, first responders and families affected by the flooding.
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 will accompany 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 already 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 comes amid growing controversy over the administration’s push to eliminate the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Noem: States should be responsible for emergency management
Noem has repeated a call 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.”
How to help Texas flood survivors
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 Americans helping each other after tragic events over actions by the federal government.
White House calls for FEMA reform
Despite Trump and Noem suggesting FEMA be abolished, a White House official told NewsNation Friday that the 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 spokeswoman 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.”
Trump established the FEMA Review Council by Executive Order, according to the official, and the council met this week and previously in May. In November, the council is expected to release a report with recommendations on how to improve federal disaster response.
Critics slam Trump 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.
