‘Utter Disregard’: Trump Faces Backlash for ‘Callous Decision’ to Play Golf with Hall of Famer As Flash Flooding Ravaged Texas, Killing 82 People
While grieving families searched for missing children and braced for more deaths amid historic flooding in Texas, President Donald Trump spent part of his Fourth of July golfing alongside Canadian baseball legend Larry Walker.
Walker, one of only two Canadians in the National Baseball Hall of Fame, posted a photo of himself and Trump on social media, with the president wearing a red “Make America Great Again” hat.
The post landed just as rescue crews in central Texas were still combing through floodwaters, searching for the missing and confirming the dead—sparking outrage online. The death toll from the disaster has now climbed to at least 82, including 27 children and one counselor, after flash floods ripped through Kerr County and other parts of the state on Independence Day.
Many of the children were likely asleep on the riverbank when the floodwaters surged in before sunrise, giving them little chance to escape before being swept away, reports said.
By the time Walker shared the image of himself with Trump, officials had already confirmed multiple fatalities, and Camp Mystic—an all-girls camp near the Guadalupe River—later announced that 10 campers remained unaccounted for. Emergency workers had rescued dozens more and were preparing to evacuate survivors once roadways reopened.
The reaction from Trump’s critics on social media was swift and brutal.
“20 Children in the United States got washed away by a horrific flash flood in Texas today. And what did Donald Trump do? Of course, he went to play Golf,” one person wrote in a post that shared a photo of Trump on his way to the green in the presidential limo.
“Trump’s callous decision to hit the golf course while 20 children drown in Texas floodwaters exposes his utter disregard for American lives, proving once again he’s unfit to lead,” wrote another critic.
By Sunday, Trump had signed a federal disaster declaration and said he would visit the affected areas on Friday. But his appearance on the golf course in the middle drew criticism from some Texans who questioned the timing.
The moment cast Trump as being indifferent amid one of the deadliest natural disasters in recent memory.
More than a month’s worth of rain fell in just a few hours in places like Kerr County and San Angelo, sweeping away homes, roads, and vehicles — and leaving entire summer camps submerged.
“This happened at night when people were asleep in bed,” Kerrville Mayor Joe Herring Jr. said at a press conference. “Please pray for our community.”
The flooding began shortly before sunrise on July 4 when officials in Kerr County started evacuating residents near the Guadalupe River in Hunt. Between 6 and 7 inches of rain had fallen overnight, with more expected by 7 a.m., prompting the National Weather Service to declare a “particularly dangerous situation,” warning of life-threatening flash floods, according to reports. Just three hours later, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office confirmed “multiple fatalities” and launched dozens of rescue missions by boat and air.
“The entire county is an extremely active scene,” the sheriff’s office said. “Residents are encouraged to shelter in place and not attempt travel. Those near creeks, streams, and the Guadalupe River should immediately move to higher ground.”
Among the most wrenching scenes unfolded at Camp Mystic, where the flood knocked out power, water, and internet access. In a message to parents, camp staff tried to offer reassurance—saying that unless they had been contacted directly, their child was safe. But with communication lines down and the highway washed out, many parents were left agonizing, fearing the worst and bracing for the unthinkable—that their daughters might never make it home.
“The highway has washed away, so we are struggling to get more help,” the camp said in a statement.
By midafternoon, officials had confirmed 13 deaths. Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said evacuations were underway at several camps in the region and noted that about 23 children from Camp Mystic were unaccounted for earlier in the day. “Once the rain clears, they have 10 buses ready to go and get kids to reunite them with their parents,” Patrick said.
As rain continued to fall into the evening, floodwaters forced additional emergency declarations across the region. Flash flood warnings were issued for the Guadalupe River from Center Point to Sisterdale and the Llano River south of Mason. Some areas had already seen 12 inches of rain, with another 3 to 4 inches forecast. Over 400 first responders were on the ground by the weekend, performing rescues and trying to restore access to washed-out roads.
During the emergency response, state officials voiced frustration with the National Weather Service, saying rainfall estimates were too low ahead of the storm. The White House rejected any suggestion that staffing cuts at the National Weather Service played a role in the tragedy, calling the claim “disgusting.”
Still, some raised questions about whether recent budget cuts hampered forecasting efforts. The storm struck just months after Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency implemented sweeping cuts across federal agencies — including layoffs of career meteorologists. The president said Sunday there are no plans to rehire those employees.
Independent meteorologists, however, said the forecasts and warnings were as accurate as could be expected given the tools available in real time.
“The forecasting was good. The warnings were good. It’s always about getting people to receive the message,” said Chris Vagasky, a meteorologist based in Wisconsin, according to NBC News. “It appears that is one of the biggest contributors — that last mile.”
Vagasky said the overnight timing of the flooding made the disaster even harder to survive.
“Severe weather response in the middle of the night is one of the biggest challenges,” he said. “That’s when we see the most tornado fatalities and the most flooding fatalities. People are asleep. They can’t see the tornado or the water rising. Did people have their emergency alerts turned on on their phones?”
In May, more than 40% of the nation’s weather forecasting offices were operating with vacancy rates above 20%. The shortfalls led all living former National Weather Service directors to issue a joint warning letter about the risks of future staffing reductions.
“Our worst nightmare is that weather forecast offices will be so understaffed that there will be needless loss of life,” the directors wrote. “We know that’s a nightmare shared by those on the forecasting front lines — and by the people who depend on their efforts.”
When asked if he still planned to phase out FEMA, Trump replied, “That’s something we can talk about later.”