White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt defended federal agencies’ response to deadly Texas flash floods during Monday’s press briefing, addressing pointed questions about emergency alert timing from reporters.
The devastating floods struck six Texas counties beginning Friday morning, resulting in over 100 confirmed deaths across the affected region.
The tragedy included multiple fatalities at a Christian girls’ camp, where young children became victims of the rapidly rising waters.
Hearst Television White House correspondent Kalyn Norwood questioned why flood alerts were distributed during overnight hours when residents were likely asleep.
The reporter sought detailed clarification on the administration’s emergency notification procedures and timing protocols.
Leavitt explained that federal agencies issued warnings in a timely manner before the flooding occurred.
She emphasized that natural disasters operate on their own timeline, not government schedules, making precise timing predictions nearly impossible.
“The alerts were imminently sent out before the flood when people were sleeping because the flood hit in the very early hours of the morning,” Leavitt stated during the press conference.
“So, people were sleeping in the middle of the night when this flood came.”
The press secretary characterized the timing as beyond administrative control, rejecting any suggestion of government responsibility for the