KERRVILLE — President Donald Trump is expected to visit Central Texas later this week following the catastrophic floods that killed more than 100 people and left dozens still missing.
The White House says Trump is planning to tour the flood zone as early as Friday, though the exact schedule has not yet been finalized. Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt says the president wants to “meet with families, thank first responders, and assess the damage firsthand.”
The deadly flooding swept through the Hill Country over the July 4th weekend, hitting Kerr County especially hard. At least 102 people there were killed, including 27 campers from an all-girls summer camp along the Guadalupe River. Officials say search and recovery operations are still underway.
Trump signed a federal disaster declaration over the weekend, unlocking FEMA assistance for impacted families and local governments. During a press briefing Monday, Leavitt defended the administration’s response amid criticism of recent budget cuts to federal weather agencies, saying, “We are fully committed to supporting Texas in its time of need.”
The president’s visit comes as state and local officials call for major upgrades to flood warning systems, including outdoor sirens in rural communities that had little to no audible alerts before the river rapidly rose. Trump is expected to address those efforts during his visit.
Local officials in Kerrville say they are working with the Secret Service to prepare for the visit, which will include briefings on search operations, infrastructure damage, and ongoing rescue efforts.
This will be Trump’s first trip to Texas since the disaster struck.