President Donald Trump dismissed reports that his homeland security chief waited days to sign off on desperately needed disaster relief in Texas based on the fact that she was the “first one” he saw on television.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency, implemented a new rule last month requiring the secretary to personally approve all Homeland Security contracts and grants of $100,000 or more.
As devastating floods ripped through Kerr County, Texas, late last week, Noem waited four days to sign off on Urban Search and Rescue crews, approve aerial imaging requested by the state, and bring in additional staff for FEMA’s disaster call center, sources told CNN.
The disaster killed at least 120 people and left about 160 missing.
Noem called CNN’s report “fake news” and said the network was “absolute trash.” During a Thursday interview with NBC News’ Kristen Welker, Trump also brushed off claims that the new policy led to delays.
“We were right on time. We were there,” he said. “In fact, she was the first one I saw on television.”
“She was there right from the beginning, and she would not have needed anything,” he continued. “She had the right to do it, but she was literally the first person I saw on television. That morning when we all woke up and saw this tragedy that took place during the evening.”
Trump is headed to Texas on Friday to take an aerial tour of the areas that bore the brunt of the catastrophic flooding, the AP reported.
After previously vowing to “phase out” FEMA and leave disaster management in the hands of state officials, the president has been conspicuously quiet on the subject in the wake of the Texas disaster, the agency noted.
Trump also plans to visit the state emergency operations center and meet with first responders and relatives of flood victims.
Rep. Jared Moskoswitz (D-FL) announced Thursday that he was asking the House committees on Homeland Security and Transportation and Infrastructure to investigate whether Noem’s policy delayed FEMA’s response to the floods.
“If accurate, this represents a major deviation from long-standing FEMA protocol that may have slowed down life-saving efforts and contributed to the tragedy’s severity,” wrote Moskoswitz, who previously oversaw Florida’s response to hurricanes and the COVID-19 pandemic as director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Trump, however, was adamant during Thursday’s interview that his administration’s response to the tragedy was pitch perfect.
“[Noem] was right on the ball,” he said. “She’s done a great job.”
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