A reporter from CBS News Texas asked the president Friday if more lives could've been saved if emergency alerts were issued earlier.

President Donald Trump toured the devastation from catastrophic flooding in Texas and lauded local officials amid mounting criticism that they failed to warn residents quickly enough that a deadly wall of water was coming their way.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump tour the Texas flood devastation and the State Department begins laying employees.

"It’s hard to believe the devastation," Trump said. "Trees that are 100 years old just ripped out of the ground. I've never seen anything like this, and I've seen a lot of bad ones."

Mr. Trump and Abbott promised to rebuild the devastated region, although the president recognized that what was lost can never be recovered.

By Trevor Hunnicutt and Maria Alejandra CardonaKERRVILLE, Texas (Reuters) -President Donald Trump defended the state and federal response to deadly flash flooding in Texas on Friday as he visited the stricken Hill Country region,

First lady Melania Trump joined President Donald Trump to visit victims of the Texas floods Friday, July 11.

Just weeks ago, President Donald Trump said he wanted to begin “phasing out” the Federal Emergency Management Agency after this hurricane season to “wean off of FEMA” and “bring it down to the state level.

In early July 2025, a screenshot claimed to show a real Truth Social post by U.S. President Donald Trump calling on people to forget the "Epstein files" and focus on the "beautiful young girls" who died in the Texas flash floods over the Fourth of July. Per the screenshot, Trump wrote:

First Lady Melania Trump paid tribute to victims of the Texas floods by wearing a charm bracelet gifted by a family.

President Donald Trump has avoided talk of scrapping the federal disaster response agency after the catastrophic flash flood in Texas that killed more than 100 people, including children at an all-girls camp.