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The Trump administration appears to be remarkably uninterested in understanding how the deadliest flood in a century unfolded in the United States in 2025.
Emerging reasons behind this lack of inquiry seem to pivot around DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
As towns in central Texas faced inundation, FEMA officials realized they were unable to pre-position Urban Search and Rescue crews from their regional teams throughout the country.
Historically, FEMA would have quickly mobilized these specialized teams, trained for catastrophic floods, nearer to the disaster zone to respond to urgent needs, as multiple agency sources informed CNN.
However, amid frantic rescue efforts in Texas, FEMA officials found they required Noem’s approval to deploy additional resources. It wasn’t until more than 72 hours after the flooding began that Noem authorized FEMA to send Urban Search and Rescue teams, according to various sources.
In response to the CNN findings, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) took to Bluesky to underscore Noem’s alarming incompetence:
Trump appointed Kristi Noem as DHS head despite her lack of experience in homeland security. Her sole qualification seems to be her unwavering loyalty as a Trump supporter over the years.
Potential lives could have been saved had Senate Republicans and the seven Senate Democrats who voted in favor of her nomination (Kim, Kaine, Slotkin, Peters, Hassan, Shaheen, and Fetterman) chosen differently. Kaine and Kim have already expressed regret regarding their votes for Noem.
Those Senators from both parties who supported an unqualified DHS nominee share in the accountability for this oversight.
It’s clear that Trump is unlikely to dismiss anyone who shows him allegiance, regardless of competence.
Senator Wyden’s assessment rings true: having Kristi Noem at the helm of DHS poses a significant risk, potentially leading to tragic outcomes, as seen in Texas.
Do you agree with Ron Wyden’s critique of Kristi Noem? We welcome your thoughts in the comments below.
