Texas Governor Greg Abbott boasted of having “very productive” meetings with business bigwigs in South Korea on Monday morning just as Hurricane Beryl barreled into his home state, killing at least two people.
Abbott’s nine-day jaunt to South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan is meant to “drive forward progress in industries critical to the future of the global economy,” his office said in a July 5 press release.
But he departed on Friday as forecasts showed that Beryl was likely to hit Texas on Monday. Indeed, it made landfall along the central Texas coast early Monday, according to Fox Weather, with 70-90 mph wind gusts, a life-threatening storm surge, and blackouts that left more than 2 million residents in the dark without power.
As of Monday, two people in Harris County died after Beryl caused trees to fall on their homes, authorities said.
Seemingly pre-empting any backlash, Abbott stressed on Sunday that his trip would likely bring “billions” of dollars to Texas.
“While I am in Taiwan, South Korea & Japan working on business deals worth billions, I remain in daily contact with Texas Division of Emergency Management & local officials to ensure preparation for Hurricane Beryl. Your safety is our top concern,” he wrote.
This situation bears an uncanny resemblance to when Texas Senator Ted Cruz quietly jetted off to Cancun during the February 2021 winter storm that ravaged Texas. Cruz later called the trip “a mistake” and chalked his decision up to “being a dad.”
On X Monday morning, Abbott shared photos of his meetings with South Korean “business leaders” and Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Tae-yul. His replies were flooded with users calling out the inconvenient timing of his trip.
“Uh, hey, man… you think your timing is appropriate?” one user wrote above a radar image of Hurricane Beryl hitting Houston.
“Maybe now isn’t the best time to brag about how awesome your trip is,” another chimed in.
In a later post, Abbott did address Beryl and his absence and wrote in part, “I remain in regular contact with @TDEM & state officials.”
Abbott’s office did not immediately respond to The Daily Beast’s request for comment. He is expected to arrive back in Texas on July 13.
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