Noem Says Criticism Of Federal Response To Texas Flooding Is ‘all Politics’: ‘disservice To Our Country’

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem connected Sunday said criticisms complete nan national consequence to nan deadly flooding successful Texas were politically motivated, calling 1 Democratic lawmaker’s accusations "absolutely despicable."

Noem appeared connected "Fox News Sunday," wherever she defended against claims that nan FEMA consequence was delayed, and nan assertion from Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., that President Donald Trump and Noem fired FEMA labor arsenic flood victims called nan agency.

"You know, this memo and this criticism, I think, is each authorities because I was there," Noem said. "I was location and each clip personification asked for something, we said, absolutely, it'll beryllium present arsenic soon arsenic imaginable and it'll beryllium done."

Noem said that she and complete 700 FEMA workers were successful nan area wrong hours of a telephone pinch Texas officials. The Coast Guard besides instantly deployed pursuing nan call, she added.

TRUMP ADMINISTRATION'S TEXAS FLOOD DISASTER RESPONSE 'FUNDAMENTALLY DIFFERENT' FROM BIDEN'S APPROACH: NOEM

Noem said FEMA's consequence to nan Texas floods was "the fastest" successful nan agency's history. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein, File)

The July Fourth floods killed astatine slightest 129 people successful cardinal Texas. Authorities judge much than 160 group whitethorn still beryllium missing successful Kerr County.

The caput said this cognition was "the fastest successful history that FEMA has ever responded to a disaster" and, dissimilar FEMA’s mediocre way grounds nether nan Biden administration, this clip FEMA "operated really President Trump wanted it to operate."

"I'm very proud of nan truth that we didn't spell location and negociate it," she said. "We went location and allowed nan section officials to negociate it, to tally it. The authorities did a awesome job. We're location to support and springiness them what resources they need."

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sits earlier President Donald Trump arrives to speak astatine a roundtable chat pinch first responders and section officials astatine Hill Country Youth Event Center successful Kerrville, Texas, during a circuit to observe flood damage, Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

NOEM RIPS CNN REPORT CLAIMING SHE DELAYED DHS RESPONSE TO TEXAS FLOOD AS 'ABSOLUTELY TRASH'

When asked astir Murphy’s claims astir victims’ calls to FEMA going unanswered successful nan days pursuing nan deadly flooding owed to firings, Noem called his words "an absolute lie."

"That’s what I deliberation is truthful disingenuous and horrible astir nan situation. Nobody was fired, nary contracts were ended, everybody was location answering calls and doing each they could to thief nan group of Texas," Noem said. "So nan truth that Democrats are politicizing this while group are still looking for their babies, they're still looking for their family members, I deliberation it's perfectly despicable."

Noem said Americans "need to cognize nan truth" of really Democrats are "taking advantage of this business to thief themselves politically."

"It's a disservice not conscionable to nan group of Texas and these families that are going done condolences correct now, it's a disservice to our country," she said.

Fox News Digital reached retired to Murphy's agency for remark connected Noem's remarks, but they did not instantly respond.

Noem was besides asked astir a national judge issuing a impermanent restraining bid against galore of nan ICE operations that person been carried retired successful Southern California.
She called nan judge’s ruling "ridiculous" and said nan national authorities will appeal.

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"We ever built our operations, our investigations connected casework, connected knowing individuals that we needed to target because they were criminals, because they had conducted convulsive crimes against individuals successful their communities aliases had overstayed their orders, had violated national laws, and that is ever really this is done," Noem said.