Camilla Jessen
Death toll surpasses 80 as questions grow over early warnings and staffing gaps.
More than 80 lives have been lost in catastrophic flash floods in Texas, with rescue teams still searching for missing persons.
During this period of mourning and recovery, political debate has emerged over whether recent federal decisions contributed to the scale of the disaster.
Speaking to Newsner reporters at a New Jersey airport, President Donald Trump rejected criticism of staffing cuts at the National Weather Service (NWS), calling the situation a “Biden setup” and denying that his administration’s actions had any impact.
Rapid flooding, high death toll
The flooding struck swiftly on July 4 weekend, as the Guadalupe River surged by 26 feet in just 45 minutes, submerging surrounding areas.
One of the hardest-hit locations was Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls. The camp confirmed that at least 27 campers and counselors had died in the flood.
“Our hearts are broken,” the camp said in a public statement. “We are praying for the families and working closely with authorities as the search for missing girls continues.”
The intense rainfall, equivalent to four months’ worth in a matter of hours, has been described by local officials as a worst-case scenario.
Was it preventable?
Critics have pointed fingers at the National Weather Service, claiming its forecasts underestimated the storm’s severity.
But meteorologists and former NWS officials maintain that the warnings were as accurate as possible under the circumstances.
“The forecasting was good. The warnings were good,” meteorologist Chris Vagasky told CNN. “The issue is whether people receive and respond to the message.”
The San Antonio NWS office was operating without two key leadership positions — the warning coordination meteorologist and the science operations officer — roles critical to training, outreach, and emergency communication.
While some have linked this to recent federal budget cuts, union officials say basic forecasting operations were still covered.
Trump deflects blame
President Trump dismissed the notion that the layoffs of nearly 600 NWS staff earlier this year played a role in the crisis.
“That was really the Biden setup, that was not our setup,” Trump said. “But I wouldn’t blame Biden for it either. I would just say this is a 100-year catastrophe.”
Asked whether the NWS should be better staffed in future, Trump replied, “This was the thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it; nobody saw it.”
He added that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem remains in Texas to coordinate federal aid. However, he did not confirm whether he would visit the site personally.
