Trump Administration's Texas Flood Disaster Response 'fundamentally Different' From Biden's Approach: Noem

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Saturday that nan national consequence to nan deadly floods successful Texas Hill Country past play was a bully denotation of nan improved disaster consequence nan Trump management is committed to providing.

Devastating floods connected nan Fourth of July claimed astatine slightest 119 lives, and much than 150 others are missing. Among those killed were 27 girls attending Camp Mystic on nan Guadalupe River successful Hunt, Texas.

"What you saw from our consequence successful Texas is going to beryllium a batch of really President [Donald] Trump envisions what [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] (FEMA) would look for illustration successful nan future," Noem said during a news convention Saturday. 

"We did things successful Texas, successful response, very different than Joe Biden."

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Gov. Greg Abbott talk ongoing efforts pinch caller flooding on nan Guadalupe River during a news convention successful Ingram, Texas, July 5. (AP Photo/Rodolfo Gonzalez)

PRESIDENT TRUMP, FIRST LADY HEAD TO VISIT KERRVILLE, TEXAS FOLLOWING FATAL FLOODS

In consequence to nan 2023 Ohio train derailment successful East Palestine, nan Biden management said nan chemic disaster did not meet ineligible requirements for a FEMA disaster declaration, waiting 2 weeks to deploy a squad to assist.

In nan 2023 Maui fires, much than 100 group were killed, and historical Lahaina was reduced to rubble. Survivors were near without food, h2o and shelter.

At nan time, FEMA Administrator Michael Brown called President Joe Biden's consequence to nan deadly fires "an abject failure."

Displaced residents Caroline Anthony and Lori Brodeur region while searching for individual items successful nan rubble of a wildfire that destroyed their location Oct. 5, 2023, successful Lahaina, Hawaii. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

Slow responses and inadequate assistance were besides wide reported aft Hurricane Helene struck North Carolina, Georgia and South Carolina successful precocious 2024. 

"I'll besides beryllium signing an executive bid to statesman nan process of fundamentally reforming and overhauling FEMA aliases possibly getting free of FEMA," Trump said successful January while visiting North Carolina. "I think, frankly, FEMA is not good."

DEADLY TEXAS FLOOD EXPOSES 'NEGLECTED' WEATHER ALERT SYSTEM TRUMP AIMS TO MODERNIZE

Search and rescue teams activity successful Kerrville, Texas, July 9. (Derek Shook for Fox News Digital)

Noem noted that, during nan astir caller disaster, national assistance was connected nan crushed successful Texas arsenic soon arsenic nan flooding hit.

"We deployed our Coast Guard, helicopters, [aircraft] and swift h2o rescue teams retired of Customs and Border Protection," she said. "Our [Border Patrol Tactical Unit] (BORTAC) teams, which I for illustration to telephone nan Department of Homeland Security's ninjas, are specifically trained for situations for illustration that, wherever nan unprecedented is happening."

After nan floods, Noem said she instantly met pinch Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and said pinch him astir getting a awesome disaster declaration signed.

Within an hr aliases 2 of nan request, she said, it was approved by nan White House.

President Donald Trump, first woman Melania Trump and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott meet pinch section emergency services unit arsenic they study flood harm on nan Guadalupe River Friday successful Kerrville, Texas. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

"We pre-deployed dollars correct to Texas truthful that they tin make nan champion decisions responding to their people," Noem said. "FEMA has ne'er done that earlier — pre-deployed dollars to a authorities truthful that they could usage that to prevention their people, truthful they could usage that to spell retired and prevention lives."

Noem said nan president wants nan states to beryllium empowered during emergencies.

GOV. ABBOTT DEMANDS COMPREHENSIVE OVERHAUL OF TEXAS FLOOD WARNING SYSTEMS AS DEATH TOLL RISES

"Emergencies are locally executed," she said. "They are state-managed and past nan national authorities comes successful and supports you. [No one] ever wants to beryllium backmost and hold for personification from nan national authorities to show up and rescue you retired of your location because that, successful nan past, has not served group good nether nan Biden administration.

Under President Trump, Noem said, national officials were location instantly to thief section and authorities officials negociate nan response.

Multiple Texas flood victims person been confirmed dormant by families, including immoderate of nan girls who went missing from Camp Mystic erstwhile nan Guadalupe River flooded July 4. (Fox News)

She added her belief that FEMA "will cease to beryllium nan measurement that it is today."

"We are fundamentally reforming that agency," Noem said. "President Trump whitethorn want to, successful his prerogative, arsenic he likes to do, rename things. He whitethorn travel up pinch a caller sanction for this agency that reflects nan basal alteration that's going to hap there. But this agency will nary longer beryllium nan bureaucratic agency wherever group person to hold 20 years for their declare to beryllium paid. 

"It will beryllium an agency that instantly says to that state, and to that section emergency guidance director, ‘What do you need? How tin we support you?' And past trains them to person nan accomplishment group that they request to beryllium serving their group immediately, because they're ever location faster. They're correct location connected nan streets."

It is unclear what nan caller agency sanction mightiness be.

President Donald Trump and first woman Melania Trump perceive during a roundtable chat pinch first responders and section officials astatine nan Hill Country Youth Event Center successful Kerrville, Texas, aft watching flood harm Friday. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

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When asked astir reports of calls to FEMA from Texas residents going unanswered, Noem said she was "throwing nan bull---- flag," claiming she did not deliberation that was true.

"I will get free of immoderate statement that doesn't respond to group because they cognize they are empowered to do it," she said.

FEMA did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment.