Texas Floods Kill 119, Spotlight Trump FEMA, Weather Service Challenges

The devastating floods in Texas, which have resulted in over 100 deaths and many missing persons, have brought intense scrutiny to President Donald Trump's proposed overhaul of disaster management, including his plan to phase out FEMA and shift responsibilities to the states. Despite earlier calls to reduce or eliminate FEMA, the Trump administration responded quickly by approving a major disaster declaration and deploying federal resources to aid Texas, highlighting the ongoing necessity of federal involvement in large-scale emergencies. The National Weather Service (NWS), part of NOAA, faced criticism for allegedly understating the rainfall and not providing timely warnings, with some attributing these shortcomings to staffing cuts made under the Trump administration, which saw a loss of nearly 600 employees at the NWS. However, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and other officials have defended the agency's warnings and staffing adequacy, urging a calm, fact-based review rather than partisan blame. The nomination of Neil Jacobs to lead NOAA, which oversees the NWS, is expected to be influenced by the flood response and related staffing issues. Experts and former FEMA officials argue that the Texas flooding underscores the challenges and risks of dismantling FEMA, emphasizing that states alone may struggle to manage disaster response without federal support.