Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Democratic congresswoman from Texas, has accused the Republican Party of neglecting to prioritize climate change mitigation and emergency preparedness, citing the deadly flash floods that recently devastated central Texas. The floods, which occurred over the Fourth of July weekend, were linked by Crockett to a lack of investment in climate resilience measures and delayed government responses to environmental threats.
Crockett criticized the Trump administration’s handling of the crisis, specifically highlighting the delayed response from Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and the broader GOP strategy to roll back efforts to combat climate change. She argued that the Republican Party’s decisions to cut funding for climate initiatives and disengage from scientific consensus on climate change have left communities vulnerable to natural disasters.
The floods, which resulted in over 120 fatalities and numerous missing persons, are part of a broader debate over climate policy, with Democrats accusing the Trump administration of undermining the National Weather Service and other critical infrastructure. Crockett also echoed statements made by CNN analyst Michael Fanone, with whom she has aligned in past discussions, stating that the GOP’s approach to climate policy is designed to prioritize political interests over the safety of constituents.
Opposition to these claims has been vocal, with White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson condemning Democrats for politicizing the tragedy and insisting that claims of understaffing the National Weather Service have been debunked. The controversy highlights the growing political polarization over the role of climate change in shaping national policy and disaster response strategies.