Trump Pretends Not to Hear Reporter Asking About Texas Flood Deaths

President Donald Trump sidestepped a pointed question Sunday about whether federal budget cuts under his administration may have contributed to the deaths of dozens in Texas flash floods—then turned around and blamed the disaster on “a Biden setup.”

Speaking to reporters after landing at Morristown Airport in New Jersey, Trump addressed the media for the first time since catastrophic flash flooding tore through central Texas over the weekend, killing at least 80 people and leaving more than 40 others unaccounted for.

When one reporter asked if federal staffing cuts—particularly at the National Weather Service and FEMA—played a role in the deadly slow response, Trump pretended not to hear.

“I can’t hear you,” Trump said with a dismissive wave, though video showed him leaning in before choosing to ignore the question entirely.

The president then pivoted to blame the previous administration, saying, “That was really the Biden setup. That was not our setup.”

Pressed on whether his administration would consider rehiring meteorologists whose positions were cut as part of his aggressive federal downsizing, Trump shrugged.

“I wouldn’t know that. I really wouldn’t. I would think not,” he told reporters. “This was a thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it, nobody saw it.”

But the National Weather Service tells a different story.

In a statement to media outlets, an NWS spokesperson confirmed that the agency issued multiple flood warnings with “at least three hours’ lead time” before waters surged. “Forecast briefings were sent well in advance,” the agency noted.

Critics argue Trump’s dismissal of federal forecasting efforts is part of a broader trend. His 2024 budget slashed more than 30% from NOAA’s funding and eliminated dozens of positions across FEMA and the Weather Service—moves watchdogs warned could cripple disaster response.

Former FEMA administrator Craig Fugate weighed in Sunday, calling the administration’s deflection “reckless.”

“The warnings were there. The infrastructure and staffing weren’t,” he said. “You can’t gut disaster agencies and then act surprised when disasters turn deadly.”

Trump also appeared to contradict himself when he later described the floods as “a hundred-year catastrophe” and insisted he wasn’t placing blame on Biden.

“I wouldn’t blame Biden for it either,” he said. “It’s just a horrible thing to watch. We’re working very close with Texas.”

The president confirmed plans to visit Texas later this week, likely Friday, though he emphasized he didn’t want to “get in the way” of emergency responders.

The floodwaters hit hardest in Travis and Williamson counties, with search crews still working around the clock to locate missing persons as of Monday morning. Preliminary estimates suggest damages could exceed $3 billion, with hundreds of homes and businesses destroyed or submerged.

Local officials have not commented on Trump’s remarks but say they are relying heavily on state resources in the absence of a robust federal response.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has declared a statewide emergency and activated the full National Guard.

“We need all hands on deck,” he said Sunday. “This is not a time for finger-pointing—it’s a time for action.”