Trump defends state flood response as he visits Texas

President Donald Trump defended the state and federal response to deadly flash flooding in Texas yesterday as he visited the stricken Hill Country region, where at least 120 people, including dozens of children, died a week ago.

- TREVOR HUNNICUTT

During a roundtable discussion after touring Kerr County, the epicentre of the disaster, Mr Trump praised both Texas governor Greg Abbott and homeland security secretary Kristi Noem for their response, saying they both did an “incredible job”.

The Trump administration, as well as local and state officials, has faced mounting questions over whether more could have been done to protect and warn residents ahead of the flooding, which struck with astonishing speed in the predawn hours on 4 July.

Mr Trump reacted with anger when a reporter said some families affected by the floods had expressed frustration that warnings did not go out sooner. “I think everyone did an incredible job under the circumstances,” he said. “I don’t know who you are, but only a very evil person would ask a question like that.”

Some critics have questioned whether the administration’s spending cuts at the National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which coordinates the US government's disaster response efforts, might have exacerbated the calamity.