Comedian Rosie O’Donnell has attributed the tragic flash floods in central Texas to President Donald Trump, citing his administration’s budget reductions for weather agencies as a contributing factor to the calamity that resulted in at least 129 fatalities.
In a TikTok video shared on Sunday, July 6, O’Donnell, who moved to Dublin, Ireland earlier this year after Trump’s reelection, openly criticized the president’s policies. “When the president guts all of the early warning systems and the weathering forecast abilities of the government, these are the results that we’re going to start to see on a daily basis,” she remarked in the video.
O’Donnell linked the fatalities to Trump’s policy decisions, suggesting that these decisions placed the nation at risk. She concluded her comments by expressing disapproval toward Trump and what she referred to as GOP supporters who adhere to his policies.
The severe flooding began on July 4 when heavy rainfall caused the Guadalupe River to rise approximately 26 feet within 45 minutes. The rapid rise destroyed infrastructure and properties across six counties in central Texas, with Kerr County experiencing the most significant loss of life.
Among the victims were 27 girls and counselors at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp in Hunt, Texas. The camp’s director, Richard Eastland, reportedly lost his life attempting to rescue campers when the floodwaters swept through the camp around 4 a.m. on July 4. Some cabins were situated just 225 feet from the river at the time of the flood.
The criticism follows the Department of Government Efficiency implementing major staffing reductions earlier this year, resulting in the elimination of hundreds of positions at both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the National Weather Service. Reports indicate that the National Weather Service lost approximately 600 employees due to these budget cuts.
Texas Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd addressed the challenges in forecasting during a press conference on Friday, July 4, noting that the initial National Weather Service forecast anticipated three to six inches of rain in the Concho Valley and four to eight inches in the Hill Country. However, he mentioned that the specific flood locations did not receive accurate predictions of rainfall amounts.
Meteorologist Avery Tomasco defended the National Weather Service response, stating that the agency issued a flood watch for Kerr County over 12 hours before the devastating flooding and a flash flood warning for Hunt and Ingram three hours before the Guadalupe River began to rise.
Republican Representative Chip Roy of Texas, whose district includes Kerr County, criticized the immediate politicization of the disaster. He noted that communities were still searching for missing individuals, including children, and suggested that criticism should be postponed until after rescue operations are completed. Roy proposed that having 19 federal officials involved in weather coordination might indicate a need for fewer bureaucrats rather than more.
President Trump responded to the disaster by signing a Major Disaster Declaration on Sunday, enabling the Federal Emergency Management Agency to coordinate federal assistance efforts. The declaration provides emergency response teams with additional resources for search and rescue operations and recovery efforts.
Trump visited the affected regions on Friday, July 11, stating that he wanted to allow emergency operations to proceed without interference before visiting. During a press conference in New Jersey, he denied that earlier budget reductions to emergency services had affected the flooding response or warning systems.
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem addressed the concerns regarding weather forecasting, indicating that the White House is currently upgrading technology at the National Weather Service and NOAA to modernize long-standing systems. She acknowledged community concerns about warning times and pledged to improve technologies that have been overlooked.
The flood has sparked considerable political debate, with O’Donnell’s remarks drawing criticism from conservative commentators who accused her of politicizing the tragedy. The ongoing feud between O’Donnell and Trump, which dates back to 2006, adds context to her recent criticism of his administration’s handling of the disaster.