Texas flood deaths spark political blame game

As of Jul. 7, at least 104 people have died due to heavy rains and flooding that began on the 4th in Texas, U.S. The incident has escalated into a political dispute between the ruling Republican Party and the opposition Democrats. The Democrats claimed that the second Trump administration significantly downsized the National Weather Service (NWS), which led to flood warnings being delayed and the critical rescue window being missed, prompting a call for an investigation. The Republican Party and the White House countered that they would not use a national tragedy as a political lever.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, for the Democrats, submitted a letter on Jul. 7 to the Department of Commerce, the responsible ministry, demanding an investigation into how the Trump administration's budget cuts to the NWS affected the flood damage. Democratic Senator Chris Murphy also criticized the fact that accurate weather forecasting helps avoid disasters, adding that President Trump is paying the price for recklessly slashing public-sector workers, such as meteorologists.

President Trump, who emphasizes ‘small government’ and ‘tax cuts,’ vowed after returning to office to privatize parts of weather-related agencies. As a result, major NWS offices experienced staffing reductions ranging from at least 20% to as much as half of their previous levels.

According to the Associated Press, the NWS office responsible for Kerr County, Texas, where flood damage was concentrated, had six vacant positions out of 27. Among these vacancies were administrative roles responsible for issuing alerts during disasters and managerial roles for coordinating with key public officials.

Meanwhile, White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt strongly denied any link between staff cuts and the flood damage. She said that it was a once-in-a-century flash flood, and the NWS did its job, asserting that blaming the President for the flood is a malicious lie and serves no purpose during a time of national mourning. Republican Senator Ted Cruz, who represents Texas, echoed the sentiment, saying that the Democrats are trying to pin the blame for a natural disaster on their opponents.

According to CNN and other media outlets, among the victims were 27 young girls who were attending ‘Camp Mystic,’ a Christian summer camp for girls during their summer vacation. Janie Hunt (9), the great-granddaughter of Texas oil tycoon William Herbert Hunt, also died while attending the camp. Dick Eastland (70), the founder of the camp, was likewise swept away and killed by the floodwaters. After the waters receded, the Camp Mystic site was filled with the backpacks and belongings of the deceased girls, evoking deep sorrow.

With many still missing, the death toll is expected to rise. From Camp Mystic alone, 10 students and one chaperone are unaccounted for, and numerous missing person reports have been filed in other areas as well.


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