Washington — President Trump and first lady Melania Trump landed in Central Texas on Friday to survey the devastation wrought by last week’s deadly flooding, as first responders and family members continue their search for the missing.
The Trumps are speaking with local officials and first responders in Kerrville, Texas, as the death toll in the state stands at 121, according to local law enforcement and Gov. Greg Abbott. The Trumps, along with Abbott, met first responders against the backdrop of a Kerrville firetruck and a pile of felled trees.
More than 170 people are still missing after flash floods consumed the region in the early morning of July 4. Drones, rescue teams and volunteers are combing through debris, hoping to find answers for the families of the missing. The majority of the confirmed deaths took place in Kerr County, where the Trumps are visiting.
At Camp Mystic, a girls’ summer camp with cabins along the river in a rural part of Kerr County near Hunt, at least 27 campers and counselors died in what the camp described as “catastrophic flooding.” Some survivors said they woke up to water rushing through the windows.
The president landed in San Antonio on Air Force One before a short helicopter ride brought him and the first lady to Kerrville.
The Trumps are expected survey the recovery efforts and participate in a roundtable with officials and rescue workers. Mr. Trump told reporters they’ll meet some of the families as well. The first couple is scheduled to spend about three hours in Texas before leaving for Bedminster, New Jersey.
“It’s a horrible thing, a horrible thing,” the president told reporters Friday before leaving the White House. “Nobody can even believe it. That much water, that fast.”
Mr. Trump has thus far avoided assigning blame for the deaths, saying on Sunday, “I would just say this is a hundred-year catastrophe, and it’s just so horrible to watch.”
The president said he would have visited Central Texas sooner but didn’t want to be “in their way” as rescuers continue their work. Mr. Trump has signed a disaster declaration for the region, allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency to deploy its own teams to support local rescue and recovery efforts as those operations press on.
After the catastrophic flooding, the first lady wrote on X, “My heart goes out to the parents in Texas during this difficult time. I am holding you in my thoughts and sending prayers for strength, comfort, and resilience.”
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