The death toll from the catastrophic floods in Texas has climbed to 80, with the devastation drawing national attention and stirring up debate over who—or what—is to blame. One point of contention has been President Donald Trump’s previous budget cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS), a claim he firmly denies. Speaking to reporters at a New Jersey airport, Trump pointed to what he called a “Biden setup” as a more likely cause, though he stopped short of directly blaming the former president.

The flooding, which occurred along the Guadalupe River in Texas, took a tragic turn over the Fourth of July weekend. According to state officials, the river rose an astonishing 26 feet in just 45 minutes, resulting in what has become one of the deadliest flood events in the state’s history. One of the hardest-hit locations was Camp Mystic, a Christian summer camp for girls. In a heartbreaking statement, camp administrators confirmed that at least 27 campers and counselors lost their lives in the sudden deluge.

“Our hearts are broken alongside our families that are enduring this unimaginable tragedy. We are praying for them constantly,” the camp posted on its website. The statement also noted that the camp is cooperating closely with local authorities, who continue to search for girls who remain missing. “We ask for your continued prayers, respect, and privacy for each of our families affected. May the Lord continue to wrap His presence around all of us,” the message concluded.

The scope of the disaster was intensified by the fact that four months’ worth of rain fell in just a few hours, turning a manageable weather situation into a nightmare scenario. Even as search-and-rescue teams work tirelessly to locate missing persons, public debate has already begun about how such a catastrophe could occur and whether more could have been done to warn those in danger. Some Texas officials have pointed fingers at the National Weather Service, accusing the agency of underestimating the potential rainfall and failing to clearly communicate the severity of the storm.

At a Friday news conference, Texas Emergency Management Chief W. Nim Kidd addressed the forecast provided by the NWS. “The original forecast that we received on Wednesday from the National Weather Service predicted 3 to 6 inches of rain in the Concho Valley and 4 to 8 inches in the Hill Country,” Kidd stated. “The amount of rain that fell in this specific location was never in any of those forecasts, nonetheless.”

Defending the accuracy of the forecasts, former NWS officials and independent meteorologists told CNN that the alerts and predictions issued prior to the flooding were as precise as they could have been, based on the available real-time data. Flash flooding, they emphasized, is inherently difficult to predict due to the rapid and localized nature of these events.

Meteorologist Chris Vagasky, based in Wisconsin, told CNN, “The forecasting was good. The warnings were good. It’s always about getting people to receive the message. It appears that is one of the biggest contributors—getting the warning that ‘last mile’ to the public.”

Meanwhile, staffing at the San Antonio weather forecasting office has come under scrutiny. According to Tom Fahy, the legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization, the office was lacking two of its top leadership roles: a permanent science officer responsible for training and integrating new technologies, and a warning coordination meteorologist, who acts as a liaison between the agency and media or public safety officials. Fahy acknowledged that while the office had enough forecasters to respond to the crisis, the absence of those senior roles may have impacted operations.

“The WFOs \[weather forecasting offices] had adequate staffing and resources as they issued timely forecasts and warnings leading up to the storm,” Fahy said, but added that he was still concerned about the vacancies in key positions.

Earlier this year, President Trump’s administration, with Elon Musk reportedly advising on agency restructures, made the decision to lay off or facilitate the retirement of nearly 600 NWS employees. While it’s unclear whether those staffing decisions had a direct impact on the Texas disaster, it has fueled speculation and demands for investigation. President Trump, however, dismissed any connection between the federal cuts and the flood response.

Speaking from New Jersey, Trump stated that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem would remain in Texas to oversee recovery efforts. “We’re working very closely with Texas representatives,” Trump said, although he did not confirm whether he would visit the flood-affected areas personally.

When asked directly whether vacancies or staff shortages within the National Weather Service contributed to the scale of the disaster, Trump deflected, citing what he described as remnants of the Biden administration’s policies. “They didn’t. I’ll tell you, if you look at that, what a situation that all is—that was really the Biden setup, that was not our setup. But I wouldn’t blame Biden for it either. I would just say this is a 100-year catastrophe, and it’s just so horrible to watch,” Trump stated.

He further expressed doubt about whether additional hiring within the NWS would have made a difference. “This was the kind of thing that happened in seconds. Nobody expected it; nobody saw it. Very talented people are there, and they didn’t see it,” Trump added.

While the political finger-pointing continues, the people of Texas are left mourning their loved ones and rebuilding their lives. Communities across the nation have begun organizing relief efforts, donating money, supplies, and prayers. The scale of this tragedy has united Americans in grief and resolve, even as questions linger over how a nation with sophisticated weather technology could be caught so off guard.

In these devastating times, we invite everyone to pause and reflect on the lives lost. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all the families affected. May they find strength, and may our leaders find the clarity to ensure that a tragedy of this scale never happens again.