• President Trump toured flood-affected areas in Texas after catastrophic flooding.
• At least 129 people have died, with over 170 still unaccounted for.
• Questions are being raised about the effectiveness of the emergency response and warning systems.
• The Trump administration has previously discussed potential cuts to FEMA amid the crisis.
• Trump praised local officials while avoiding criticism of their disaster response efforts.

President Donald Trump arrived in Texas on Friday to survey the catastrophic damage caused by flash floods from July 4, which have resulted in at least 129 deaths and left over 170 people unaccounted for, according to local officials and State Governor Greg Abbott. The floods were particularly devastating in Kerr County, which Trump visited with First Lady Melania Trump to meet with first responders, families of victims, and local officials. They received updates on search and recovery operations amid ongoing concerns about the government’s disaster response capabilities and preparedness, according to ABC News, CBS News, and Reuters.

Trump's visit comes as scrutiny mounts over the responsiveness of local officials, who are being questioned for delays in issuing evacuation alerts and warnings about the rising waters. Reports indicate that emergency alerts were delayed for hours, preventing timely evacuations and raising fears that many lives could have been saved. Local officials had declined to install an early-warning system in the past, further amplifying questions about their readiness, according to Los Angeles Times and South China Morning Post.

During his tour, Trump highlighted the unprecedented nature of the disaster, calling it a "100-year catastrophe," and expressed condolences for the victims, many of whom were children from Camp Mystic, a girls' summer retreat. The president assured families and first responders of federal support, indicating that a major disaster declaration had already been approved for Texas and additional counties, enabling immediate FEMA assistance. However, he sidestepped questions regarding his administration's previous plans to phase out the agency and devolve responsibilities back to the states, as noted by Channel News Asia and India Times.

While speaking positively about local officials' efforts, Trump faced questions about potential funding cuts affecting the National Weather Service’s performance leading up to the flood event. He praised local emergency management efforts but acknowledged the need for better systems moving forward, indicating that a more comprehensive warning infrastructure might be necessary, as discussed by HuffPost and Le Monde.