Critics link Texas flood devastation to Trump-era cuts and climate policies
The catastrophic floods in Texas have left at least 59 people dead, including 21 children, with 11 children and one counselor still missing from a girls’ summer camp near the Guadalupe River. The floods were triggered by unexpected thunderstorms caused by the remnants of Tropical Storm Barry, which made landfall over Mexico. Critics of President Donald Trump wasted no time blaming staffing cuts at the National Weather Service (NWS) for the widespread death and destruction.
Grant Stern, the executive editor of Occupy Democrats, pointed fingers at Trump’s cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), claiming that it only took 9 days for the cuts to result in the tragic loss of lives in Texas. Ron Filipkowski, former federal prosecutor and editor-in-chief of MediasTouchNews, criticized the voters in Texas for supporting government services controlled by Trump and Governor Greg Abbott.
Rachel Bitecofer, assistant director at Christopher Newport University’s Wason Center for Public Policy, echoed these sentiments, stating that Trump’s cuts to NOAA and NWS have critically impacted storm prediction nationwide. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem acknowledged the criticisms regarding the nation’s flood notification systems and mentioned that the Trump administration is currently upgrading the technology to modernize the system.
Tom Fahy, legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization, defended weather forecasting offices, stating that they issued timely forecasts and warnings leading up to the storm. However, he highlighted the concern of unfilled leadership positions within the organization.
Musician Mikel Jollett blamed Trump’s defunding of the National Weather Service on the administration’s stance on climate change, calling for an immediate congressional investigation into the Republican cuts to NOAA and NWS. Washington Democratic Gov. Jay Inslee linked Trump’s efforts to roll back green energy funding to the increased frequency of catastrophic natural disasters like the Texas floods.
Rep. Joaquin Castro, D-Texas, emphasized the importance of having key personnel in place at the National Weather Service to prevent such tragedies in the future. White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson condemned the politicization of the tragedy, calling it “shameful and disgusting” to target political opponents in the wake of the disaster.
While the White House insists that the NWS did its job by issuing a flood watch more than 12 hours in advance, critics continue to raise concerns about the impact of staffing cuts on weather prediction and disaster prevention. The ongoing efforts to upgrade the nation’s flood notification technology aim to prevent similar tragedies in the future and aid in the recovery efforts in Texas.
