“An Act of God?” White House Faces Backlash Over Texas Flood Response
As raging floodwaters swallowed homes, roads, and lives across Central Texas, another storm took shape—this time from behind the podium of the White House.
On what should have been a weekend of celebration, Kerrville, Texas became the epicenter of heartbreak. Families were ripped apart as walls of water tore through communities with terrifying speed.
Emergency crews searched through debris fields. Entire neighborhoods vanished. And amid the chaos, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt delivered a statement that would ignite a national firestorm.
This was an act of God,” Leavitt said during a July 6 press briefing, responding to questions about the federal government’s role in the disaster.
“Blaming President Trump for these floods is a depraved lie and serves no purpose during this time of national mourning.”
To some, it sounded like an attempt to deflect. To others, it felt like a slap in the face.
A Disaster, and a Deepening Divide
The floods—triggered by unprecedented rainfall that caused the Guadalupe River to rise 26 feet in less than two hours—have so far claimed more than 100 lives, with scores still missing. Kerr County, hardest hit, has reported at least 84 deaths, including dozens of children. Rescue teams are still combing through the wreckage in what officials are calling one of the deadliest natural disasters in Texas history.
But anger isn’t aimed only at nature. It’s aimed at decisions made long before the skies opened.