Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
My name is John Mounts, filling in for JT. And
following the tragedy in Texas, there was a media outcry
of why isn't the President already there? And of course
it would be great if he could have been there,
But at the same time, you don't want to have
a problem where now they're having to deal with secret
Service and presidential detail as well as cleaning up the situation.
And that's the reason why Donald Trump has waited a
(00:20):
little while to be there. But he is on his
way joining us now is John Decker, and John the
President is going out there, I'm sure, not only to
survey the damage, but also to offer some comfort.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Well, that's right. It's a grieving community in central Texas,
and you know it's also a community that voted overwhelmingly
for Donald Trump in twenty twenty four. Kerk County, which
is really the epicenter of the flooding, voted almost seventy
five percent of the votes for Donald Trump in the
November election. So I think the President will be well received.
(00:52):
The President will meet with first responders, he'll meet with
grieving families who've lost loved ones. Over one hundred people
already confirmed dead and there are dozens upon dozens of
others still missing. So these are tough trips for any president.
The president, as you may recall, his first week in
office back on January the twenty fourth, visited both western
(01:15):
North Carolina site of flooding, as well as Los Angeles,
which was dealing with wildfires. And this is another trip
that the president is taking after natural disaster.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
When media goes to cover these sort of things, especially
I'm talking to the TV media, there's always this balance
you have to play. On one hand, you don't want
to turn it into a photo op, but on the
other hand, you do need to cover the story, but
you don't want to just make it into where these
people who are suffering become props. But you know, you
(01:47):
do tell the story, and there are stories to be
told with some of the people who are HEARDing.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Well. I've covered these stories unfortunately over the years. I
actually was with President Trump when he traveled to Puerto Rico,
a long day trip in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
And you feel for these people that have in some
cases lost everything, all of their property, and in other
(02:11):
cases they've lost loved ones. And you know, I'm always
mindful of that when I do these types of stories,
it's a very sad story, and you know, it's a
very human story because it impacts people, it impacts communities,
and you know, I think the President, in going down
there with the First Lady as well as with the
Secretary of Homeland Security, is trying to learn, you know,
(02:34):
what the federal government can do to augment what Texas
is already doing to help out this community in need.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
And one of the things he'll probably face is some
questions about the potential cutbacks at FEMA and the National
I think you're talking about eliminating FEMA and the cutbacks
of the National Weather Service, and if they played a
role in this and in the future, how will it
change the way we respond to natural disasters.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Well, you know, there will be oversight. Oversight will happen
at the state level in Texas. Governor Abbott has already
said that to determine, you know, if indeed those warnings
were timely for those in the pathway of what turned
out to be catastrophic flooding. And there potentially will be
(03:16):
oversight hearings here in Washington, d C. As well for
the reason that you mentioned, because of cutbacks impacting, for instance,
the National Weather Service, so that you know is expected,
and I think you know that should happen, you know,
you want to have an after action report to see
what went wrong and make certain that those things that
(03:38):
potentially did go wrong do not happen again.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Do you know if any officials will be traveling or
meeting with Donald Trump there other than obviously he's going
with First Lady at Milania. But will there be people
like were Texas Governor Greg Abbott or anyone else be
on the ground I assume to meet him at the location.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Well, sure, the President will be traveling, you know, to
all of the different sites with Governor Abbott. He's got
good relationship with the Texas governor. Traveling on Air Force
One will be as I mentioned, the Department of Homeland
Security Secretary Christy Nome, who has oversight over FEMA, and
in addition to that, the Democratic Congressman that represents part
(04:18):
of this part of Texas will be on hand. He's announced,
and we'll be meeting with the President as well.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
John Decker, thank you so much for joining us, and
I know you'll have the latest on this when we
speak to with you next, because this is going to
be definitely front page for some time. Front page so
to speak.
My name is John Mounts, filling in for JT. And
following the tragedy in Texas, there was a media outcry
of why isn't the President already there? And of course
it would be great if he could have been there,
But at the same time, you don't want to have
a problem where now they're having to deal with secret
Service and presidential detail as well as cleaning up the situation.
And that's the reason why Donald Trump has waited a
(00:20):
little while to be there. But he is on his
way joining us now is John Decker, and John the
President is going out there, I'm sure, not only to
survey the damage, but also to offer some comfort.
Speaker 2 (00:31):
Well, that's right. It's a grieving community in central Texas,
and you know it's also a community that voted overwhelmingly
for Donald Trump in twenty twenty four. Kerk County, which
is really the epicenter of the flooding, voted almost seventy
five percent of the votes for Donald Trump in the
November election. So I think the President will be well received.
(00:52):
The President will meet with first responders, he'll meet with
grieving families who've lost loved ones. Over one hundred people
already confirmed dead and there are dozens upon dozens of
others still missing. So these are tough trips for any president.
The president, as you may recall, his first week in
office back on January the twenty fourth, visited both western
(01:15):
North Carolina site of flooding, as well as Los Angeles,
which was dealing with wildfires. And this is another trip
that the president is taking after natural disaster.
Speaker 1 (01:27):
When media goes to cover these sort of things, especially
I'm talking to the TV media, there's always this balance
you have to play. On one hand, you don't want
to turn it into a photo op, but on the
other hand, you do need to cover the story, but
you don't want to just make it into where these
people who are suffering become props. But you know, you
(01:47):
do tell the story, and there are stories to be
told with some of the people who are HEARDing.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Well. I've covered these stories unfortunately over the years. I
actually was with President Trump when he traveled to Puerto Rico,
a long day trip in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
And you feel for these people that have in some
cases lost everything, all of their property, and in other
(02:11):
cases they've lost loved ones. And you know, I'm always
mindful of that when I do these types of stories,
it's a very sad story, and you know, it's a
very human story because it impacts people, it impacts communities,
and you know, I think the President, in going down
there with the First Lady as well as with the
Secretary of Homeland Security, is trying to learn, you know,
(02:34):
what the federal government can do to augment what Texas
is already doing to help out this community in need.
Speaker 1 (02:40):
And one of the things he'll probably face is some
questions about the potential cutbacks at FEMA and the National
I think you're talking about eliminating FEMA and the cutbacks
of the National Weather Service, and if they played a
role in this and in the future, how will it
change the way we respond to natural disasters.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Well, you know, there will be oversight. Oversight will happen
at the state level in Texas. Governor Abbott has already
said that to determine, you know, if indeed those warnings
were timely for those in the pathway of what turned
out to be catastrophic flooding. And there potentially will be
(03:16):
oversight hearings here in Washington, d C. As well for
the reason that you mentioned, because of cutbacks impacting, for instance,
the National Weather Service, so that you know is expected,
and I think you know that should happen, you know,
you want to have an after action report to see
what went wrong and make certain that those things that
(03:38):
potentially did go wrong do not happen again.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
Do you know if any officials will be traveling or
meeting with Donald Trump there other than obviously he's going
with First Lady at Milania. But will there be people
like were Texas Governor Greg Abbott or anyone else be
on the ground I assume to meet him at the location.
Speaker 2 (03:54):
Well, sure, the President will be traveling, you know, to
all of the different sites with Governor Abbott. He's got
good relationship with the Texas governor. Traveling on Air Force
One will be as I mentioned, the Department of Homeland
Security Secretary Christy Nome, who has oversight over FEMA, and
in addition to that, the Democratic Congressman that represents part
(04:18):
of this part of Texas will be on hand. He's announced,
and we'll be meeting with the President as well.
Speaker 1 (04:24):
John Decker, thank you so much for joining us, and
I know you'll have the latest on this when we
speak to with you next, because this is going to
be definitely front page for some time. Front page so
to speak.
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