Texas Floods: Is Donald Trump Blaming Elon Musk for the Deaths? Karoline Leavitt Reveals

A heated debate has emerged over whether cuts made by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) hindered authorities' ability to respond effectively to the Texas floods. The department, part of Donald Trump’s push to reduce government size, spent months downsizing federal operations.

Following intense rainfall and flash floods in Texas Hill Country, the National Weather Service faced backlash from local officials, who accused it of failing to provide adequate forecasts.

After taking office in January, President Trump issued executive orders giving DOGE — initially headed by billionaire Elon Musk — broad powers to slash federal staff and cancel contracts, sidestepping Congressional approval.

Although Musk has since left Washington and had a public fallout with Trump, many of his hires and the deep cuts he initiated remain in place, affecting tens of thousands of federal workers and raising questions about the government’s crisis response capacity.