A recent poll found that a majority of Americans believe the Trump government could have done more to prevent the loss of life from the recent severe flooding in Texas.
According to the Economist/YouGov survey, 52% of respondents said they felt most of the flood-related deaths “could have been avoided” if the government had been better prepared. In contrast, 29% believed the deaths were “tragic but unavoidable,” while 19% were unsure.
The deadly floods claimed at least 134 lives, with more than 100 people still unaccounted for, according to reports from ABC News.
In response to criticism, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem addressed claims that federal aid was delayed due to a new policy requiring her approval for FEMA grants and contracts over $100,000. Speaking on NBC’s “Meet the Press,” Noem confirmed the rule but denied it slowed the response.
“Those claims are absolutely false,” she said. “Within just an hour or two after the flooding, we had resources from the Department of Homeland Security on the ground assisting in Texas. It was a heartbreaking scene.”
She added that the Coast Guard acted quickly, rescuing many individuals from rising waters and supporting the emergency response effort from the start.
The poll was conducted between July 11 and 14 among 1,680 U.S. adults. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.4 percentage points.