Texas Floods and Trump's Political Failures - A Foreseen Disaster, Evaded Responsibilities

Political Background of the Texas Flood

In the summer of 2025, the historic flood that struck Texas was too structural and too predicted to be dismissed as merely a weather anomaly. The death toll exceeded 80, with 160 people remaining missing, and thousands of residents were forced into shelters. The United States has long been regarded as a country with the best disaster response system in the world. However, in this case, none of the disaster prediction, response, rescue, or recovery mechanisms functioned properly. Equally shocking to American society, alongside the scale of the damage and chaos, was the fact that this flood was "not forecast at all." American citizens, accustomed to precise forecasts via satellites for decades, found it hard to accept the reality that a major flood occurred without prior warnings. At the heart of this was the political legacy left by former President Trump and the policy vacuum it created.

Causes of Prediction Failure: Cut Budgets and Collapsed Infrastructure

The most shocking aspect of this flood is the absence of a disaster warning. The National Weather Service and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) have been forecasting and responding to natural disasters such as typhoons, heavy rains, and wildfires for decades with advanced systems. However, the recent flood in Texas occurred without any prior notification to citizens, resulting in the loss of dozens of lives. The background of this predictive failure lies in the policies of former President Trump. During his administration, Trump dramatically cut the budget for weather-related programs. Budgets for weather satellite operations, supercomputer upgrades, and research and development funding were significantly reduced, and restructuring of meteorologists and analysts was carried out. He referred to the climate crisis as a 'hoax created by China' and viewed scientifically-based budgets as political 'waste.' Additionally, Trump repeatedly advocated for either abolishing FEMA or dispersing its powers to individual states. As a result, the federal-level integrated disaster response system has weakened, and the national response capability in times of crisis has significantly diminished. Trump's argument that 'each state should handle its own issues' reduced the role of the federal government, yet during massive disasters like this one, the very structure of that logic proved unrealistic. Ultimately, the system collapsed, science was ignored, and citizens were exposed to disasters without information. This symbolizes how policies can save or cost lives.

Denial of the climate crisis and the politicization of science

Trump's awareness of climate issues is closely tied to his overall policy direction. Throughout his presidency, he dismissed scientific warnings about climate change as 'false', 'manipulated statistics', or 'conspiracy'. His withdrawal from the Paris Climate Agreement was a hallmark of his political stance, and his deregulation of the fossil fuel industry and elimination of carbon emission reduction targets were points of pride for him. This denial of the climate crisis is not merely a matter of 'opinion' differences. It has been specifically reflected in policy decisions, budget allocations, and institutional design, leading to increased risks of disaster occurrences. Particularly in the inland southern regions like Texas, there has traditionally been a strong perception that climate crises are unrelated, but recent climate changes are directly contradicting this notion. The torrential rains and massive flooding in Texas, once thought to be a dry desert area, are clearly signals of the climate crisis. However, Trump politicized the climate crisis and utilized it as a means to consolidate his support base. Scientists' warnings were dismissed as a 'leftist hoax', and related policies were treated as 'regulations harmful to the national economy'. As a result, the climate crisis was neglected amid political indifference, with the cost being the lives and property of the people.

Avoiding Responsibility and Managing Political Image

Disasters serve as a stage for evaluating the true abilities of politicians. However, Trump opted for typical 'politics of evasion' once again. At the time of the flooding in Texas, he was visiting a golf resort with his family, and he did not make a public appearance for a while even after the severity of the situation became known nationwide. He eventually issued a statement saying, 'This is a disaster that comes once in a hundred years. No one could have predicted it,' evading responsibility. There was no clear explanation or apology for any of the issues, such as the failure in pre-forecasting, lack of rescue personnel, or delays in FEMA's response. Instead, he repeatedly delivered an optimistic message that 'the remaining personnel are doing well,' demonstrating an attitude of trying to cover up the crisis. This behavior recalls President George W. Bush's failure to respond to Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The incompetent response of the Bush administration is recorded as one of the most significant political blows in American history, ultimately leading to a change in the Democratic administration. There are evaluations that this Texas flood is following the same path. Notably, Texas is a representative 'red state' for the Republican Party. Trump is facing a backlash even in Texas, which can be considered his political hometown, and this could lead to divisions within the Republican Party. In the face of disaster, partisan logic does not apply, and politicians who evade responsibility ultimately lose trust.

Conclusion: The Tragedy Created by Political Incompetence

The Texas floods of 2025 are not only a natural disaster but also a clear 'policy failure.' The prediction systems failed, there were no warnings, and the rescue efforts were delayed. At the root of this lies a politics that ignored science, a politics that cut budgets, and a politics that evaded responsibility. Former President Trump's policies have undermined the nation's ability to respond to disasters, and the consequences have been borne entirely by the people. The climate crisis is no longer a story of the future. It is ongoing and is a reality that politics cannot ignore. How we respond to this crisis is not simply a matter of administration it is a test of politicians' morality and leadership. The public assesses politicians in times of crisis. The standard should not just be whether they can memorize promises or speak well in front of cameras, but whether they have built practical systems for the people and whether they take responsibility in times of crisis. Through the Texas floods, Trump has once again revealed his political limitations, which could soon lead to a crisis of trust in American conservative politics. The climate does not wait for political choices. Policy incompetence equates to indifference to life, and the price of that indifference returns as disaster. We must now elevate disasters to the center of political agendas and urgently restore politics that embraces science and public interest.