President Donald Trump called the catastrophic Texas floods ‘terrible’ as he left the White House to tour the damage with First Lady Melania Trump.
The Trumps toured damaged areas along the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, one of the towns devastated by the storms that have killed at least 120. The first couple were briefed by officials and took the opportunity to thank first responders.
More than 100 people are still missing a week after Texas Hill Country was hit by heavy rain and flash floods that destroyed homes and left families picking up the pieces.
Emergency workers and volunteers are still searching through the debris and there are hopes some trapped residents could be found alive.
But the death toll – that included 27 girls and counselors from Camp Mystic – could still rise in the coming days.
‘It’s a terrible thing, but we’re going to be there with some of the great families and others, the governor, everybody,’ he told reporters on the South Lawn as he left the White House.
Outside the White House, Trump put his arm around the First Lady who was casually dressed in jeans, sneakers and a light jacket. Trump wore a blue suit and white shirt but no ties
From Texas they will head to Bedminster, New Jersey, and the Trump National Golf Club there. On Sunday, they’ll quietly mark the one-year anniversary of the assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pa.
The Trump family will be together in the morning and, that afternoon, Melania Trump will accompany the president to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to watch the Club World Cup Final match.
But, first they’ll mark a somber Friday in Texas.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump walk to Marine One for their trip to visit the flood-damaged areas of Texas
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump speak with first responders, as they visit a scene of devastation along the banks of the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas
Their visit comes a week after heavy rainfall caused the Guadalupe River in Kerr County to rise 26 feet in less than an hour, killing at least 121, including dozens of children at the nearby Christian summer camp, Camp Mystic.
On the ground in Kerrville, the first couple will tour flood-affected areas, meet with family members of victims and be briefed on recovery efforts. They’ll also thank rescue workers.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott joined the Trumps on the trip.
Texas Senators Ted Cruz and John Cornyn traveled with the Trumps on Air Force One.
Meanwhile, the death toll continues to rise, with more than 160 people still missing.
Trump approved a major disaster declaration for Texas earlier this week.
The president, unlike in other disasters, has not cast blame on anyone for the tragedy, calling it a horrible accident.
‘I would just say this is a hundred-year catastrophe, and it’s just so horrible to watch,’ the president said on Sunday.
It was a marked difference from his comments on California and the devastating wildfires in that state. Trump was loud and vocal in his criticism of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom.
Some of the hardest-hit areas of central Texas are places of strong Republican support that voted for Trump in the 2024 election.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump greet first responders near the Guadalupe River as part of their tour of flood-damaged Texas
Melania Trump joins President Trump for his Texas trip
The first couple will head to Bedminster, N.J., after they visit Texas
President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and Texas Governor Greg Abbott receive a briefing from a first responder as they visit flood-damaged areas
The White House also has pushed back at criticism that FEMA and the National Weather Service was understaffed, making early warning efforts more difficult.
‘Blaming President Trump for these floods is a depraved lie, and it serves no purpose during this time of national mourning,’ White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said at her briefing on Monday.
And, in a Cabinet meeting this week, Trump praised Noem for her department’s handling of the response.
The Department of Homeland Security oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
‘You had people there as fast as anybody’s ever seen,’ the president told Noem.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump wave as they board Air Force One
President Trump raises his fist as Melania Trump stands by him
President Trump follows Melania onto Marine One for their trip to central Texas
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, left, and members of the media watch as President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are briefed on flood damage
Emergency workers and volunteers are still searching through the debris and there are hopes some trapped residents could be found alive
More than 100 people are still missing a week after Texas Hill Country was hit by heavy rain and flash floods that destroyed homes and left families picking up the pieces
First Lady Melania Trump walks across the South Lawn of the White House
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican and close ally of the president, said Trump was saddened by the event, particularly over the loss of the children.
‘He could not stop talking about how sad he was for all the little girls who have lost their lives,’ said Abbott, who has spoken with Trump repeatedly. ‘He recounted his own understanding of what happened with what was really a tsunami wave, a wall of water, that swept too many of them away.’
‘And he cares a lot about those young ladies. And he wants to step up and make sure that any need that we have here in Texas is going to be met very quickly,’ Abbott added.
