President Donald Trump on Thursday praised Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem for doing a “nice job” in Texas, despite the criticism she’s received about her position within the response to the catastrophic floods which have wreaked havoc within the Lone Star State.
In a phone interview with NBC’s Kristen Welker a day forward of his go to to Kerrville, Texas, Trump claimed he was clueless on experiences {that a} cost-cutting requirement set by Noem to personally authorize all contracts and grants above $100,000 at her division delayed the Federal Emergency Administration Company from swiftly getting assist to the area.
“I don’t know something about it,” Trump mentioned.
“We have been proper on time. We have been there — in actual fact, she was the primary one I noticed on tv,” he continued. “She was there proper from the start, and he or she wouldn’t have wanted something. She had the best to do it, however she was actually the primary individual I noticed on tv.”
Trump added that Noem has “performed an awesome job” in dealing with the disaster.
Whereas Noem, whose division oversees FEMA, didn’t explicitly deny setting the rule in place, she went on to slam CNN, which was first to report on her order.
Sources advised the community Noem didn’t authorize the deployment of City Search and Rescue crews, which have been educated to function in such circumstances, to the world till Monday, about three days after the floods began.
“Pretend information CNN once more. It’s completely trash what they’re doing by saying that,” she told “Fox & Friends” on Thursday. “I’m happy with the work that we’ve performed.”
In the meantime, Trump endorsed the implementation of a flood warning system within the area.
Kerr County officers had beforehand floated the thought as a possible resolution to alert residents to rising waters and had estimated its price would add as much as about $1 million, an October report compiled by metropolis and native officers mentioned, according to The New York Times. Whereas the report claimed grants from FEMA may assist underwrite the price, no such system was put in place by the point the flooding started final week, throughout the July Fourth vacation.
“After having seen this horrible occasion, I’d think about you’d put alarms up in some type, the place alarms would go up in the event that they see any giant quantities of water or no matter it’s,” Trump advised Welker. “However the native officers have been hit by this identical to all people else.”
The floods have killed a minimum of 120 folks, together with youngsters, whereas search and rescue operations proceed for the over 170 folks nonetheless lacking.
Trump, who has beforehand pledged to cast off FEMA, just lately dodged questions on whether or not he nonetheless intends to section out the company. The president is predicted to face questions on the difficulty throughout his journey to Texas on Friday morning.
Trump, who will likely be accompanied by first woman Melania Trump, mentioned he desires to specific his assist to the folks of Texas coping with this tragedy.
“These folks have been with me proper from the start, and it’s only a message of heat, and I really feel so terribly for them,” Trump mentioned.