THE DAILY BLAST with Greg Sargent Trump Press Sec’s Fury at Media over Texas Flood Exposes Worst of MAGA
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Jul 9, 2025 Kate Aronoff, a staff writer at The New Republic who focuses on climate policy, joins to discuss the devastating flooding in Texas and its fallout. She critiques White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt's outrage at media questions linking Trump administration policies to the disaster. The conversation delves into the hypocrisy of MAGA's calls for national solidarity while failing to support affected communities, exploring the broader implications of political narratives during crises. Aronoff urges a reckoning with GOP priorities in the face of disaster.
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NWS Forecasting Amid Resource Cuts
- The National Weather Service (NWS) issued timely flood warnings despite staffing shortages and budget cuts.
- Extreme rainfall overwhelmed local infrastructure, causing rapid river rises and massive flooding in Texas.
FEMA Defunding Weakens Disaster Response
- Trump's plan to defund FEMA undermines essential disaster response and mitigation efforts.
- State and local governments lack the capacity to replace FEMA's specialized disaster management role.
Staffing and Communication Failures
- Staffing shortages at local National Weather Service offices impeded communication with local governments.
- Trump administration cut rural broadband programs, worsening communication problems in disaster warnings.