President Donald Trump ignited a political firestorm Friday after he snapped at a CBS News reporter who dared to question him about whether more could have been done to prevent the devastating floods that killed at least 120 people in Texas.
The fiery exchange happened during a roundtable in Kerrville, where Trump met with Governor Greg Abbott, emergency crews, and flood survivors after surveying the mangled remnants of homes and businesses along the Guadalupe River. But when the event opened to questions, it took a sharp turn.
“Several families say they didn’t receive timely alerts—and believe lives could’ve been saved. What do you say to them?” asked the Texas-based CBS reporter.
Trump didn’t hesitate.
“Only a bad person would ask a question like that,” the president snapped, jabbing a finger in the air. “I don’t know who you are, but only a very evil person would ask something like that.”
The president, seated next to First Lady Melania Trump and flanked by Texas officials, did not address the specific claims about delayed warnings. Instead, he praised rescue workers and downplayed the possibility of systemic failure.
“This was something nobody could have predicted. A once-in-a-century flood,” Trump insisted. “It’s easy for the media to sit around pointing fingers. That’s not leadership.”
He then pivoted quickly—calling on pro-Trump commentator Brian Glenn and several other friendlier voices in the room who offered praise instead of scrutiny.
The reporter wasn’t the only target. Republican Congressman Chip Roy piled on, accusing the press of exploiting tragedy.
“For the media to start finger-pointing while people are still pulling bodies from the river? That’s disgraceful,” Roy said. “The governor said it best—pointing fingers is for losers.”
Flood Warnings Ignored?
But beneath the political drama, real questions linger.
According to The New York Times, local Kerrville officials had previously requested state funding for a modern flood alert system—three separate times. Each request was denied, despite a surge in federal funds for disaster preparedness under the Trump administration.
Even more troubling, Kerrville’s mayor admitted local officials weren’t fully aware of the incoming flood until it was already surging in the early hours of July 4th.
The National Weather Service had issued two warnings, but many residents reported never receiving any alerts. Some woke to water at their doorsteps. Others never woke up at all.
Now, as crews continue the search for more than 160 missing people, grieving families are demanding answers—not political deflections.
A woman who lost her parents and 12-year-old niece in the flood told Kerrville Daily News, “We don’t want blame. We want the truth. Were we forgotten?”
What Comes Next?
Despite the tragedy, Trump’s supporters praised his visit as a sign of strong leadership.
“He shows up when it matters,” one local business owner said. “We’re hurting, but at least we know we’ve got the president on our side.”
But critics say deflecting tough questions with insults isn’t leadership—it’s evasion.
As Texas dries out and buries its dead, the fight over accountability has only just begun.
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Good for him Sent from my iPhone
I think it was a reasonable question ! Trump doesn’t like any question that may even remotely make him or his government look bad. Besides, he probably didn’t know how to respond, so he berated the news person ! Also, he thinks it makes him look tough when he responds like that, but I think it makes him look weak and he may not have an answer. He’s kinda dumb anyway. He doesn’t appear to be very educated !
Instead of pointing fingers at who you think is in the wrong. Put yourselves in the trenches and point fingers at the ones that need to be found.
Yes! Someone was at fault, but that was NOT President Trump!
This is so sad because so many children have died when if there was a protocol that could have been followed, perhaps those people would be still alive!
Yes, there was “Warning Notifications” sent out to that area around Guadalupe River; but, my guess, is at those camps, they were not aware of the warning sent the night before warning of high water floods due to rainfall! Now here is where the fault needs to begin! A CRITICAL WARNING SYSTEM WAS NOT IN PLACE!
First of all, that Christian Girls Camp and other family camps were located ON THE BANKS OF THE GUADALUPE RIVER — which is a waterway affected by mega rain storms! Why didn’t someone at those camps check the weather patterns when it started raining, knowing they were in a possible flood zone! THAT should have been the 1st thing that should have happened once rain started to fall! But no radio transmission was heard or received nor any Camp Counselor checking their phone weather patterns ever happened!
Why that impertinent CBS reporter asked DJT what he could have done to stop all those deaths was an attempt to make DJT look bad! CBS showed lack of compassion for all the deaths of young children and adults! Of course DJT was upset! Anyone with a heart would be shaken knowing so many children and adults died during a mega flash flood! And WHY did ALL those deaths happen?
This is a tragedy beyond tragedies! It’s time that Gov Abbott and the officials of that area come up with a WARNING FLASH FLOOD SYSTEM PROTOCOL that is loud and noticeable to areas all along the Guadalupe River so no one, child or adult, will be caught in the deadly flash flood waters ever again! YES! Unfortunately for all the children that died, hindsight is a little too late. Sad beyond words…
These reporters are so stupid and no comm
Ignorance he was asking the question on behalf of a citizen who has lost family! So instead of kindly answering he further negates truth and ignores his own citizens! That’s a real president right?