Noem defends Texas’s response from FEMA, calls “despicable” democratic criticism

The Ministry of the Secretary of Internal Security, Kristi Noem, said that on Sunday, criticisms on the federal response to the deadly floods in Texas were politically motivated, calling on the accusations of “absolutely despicable” democratic legislator.

Noem appeared on “Fox News Sunday”, where she defended against the statements that FEMA’s response was delayed, and the assertion of Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn., That President Donald Trump and Noem dismissed FEMA employees while the victims of the floods called the Agency.

“You know, this note and this criticism, I think, is all politics because I was there,” said Noem. “I was there and every time someone asked for something, we said, absolutely, that will be as soon as possible and it will be done.”

Noem said that and more than 700 FEMA workers were in the region a few hours after a call with Texas officials. The Coast Guard also deployed immediately after the call, she added.

Floodable disaster response from the Trump administration “fundamentally different” from Biden’s approach: Noem

Noem said that FEMA’s response to Texas floods was “fastest” in the history of the agency. (AP photo / Mark Schiefelbein, file)

The fourth floods in July killed at least 129 people in center of Texas. Authorities believe that more than 160 people can still be missing in Kerr County.

The secretary said that this operation was “the fastest in history that FEMA has ever responded to a disaster” and, unlike the bad history of FEMA under the Biden administration, this time FEMA “exploited the way President Trump wanted him to work”.

“I am very proud of the fact that we did not go there and to manage it,” she said. “We went there and allowed local officials to manage it, to do it. The state has done fantastic work. We are there to support and give them the resources they need.”

Internal security secretary Kristi Noem, sits before President Donald Trump managed to speak during a round table with the first stakeholders and local officials of the Hill Country Youth Event Center in Kerrville, Texas, during a visit to observe flood damage on Friday, July 11, 2025. (AP photo / Jacquelyn Martin)

Noem tears CNN’s report saying that it delayed the DHS’s response to the flood of Texas as “ absolutely trash ” ‘

Asked about Murphy’s claims about the calls of victims to FEMA unanswered in the days following the fatal floods due to layoffs, Noem called his words “an absolute lie”.

“This is what I think I am so fallacious and horrible about the situation. No one was dismissed, no contract was finished, everyone was there to answer calls and do everything they could to help the inhabitants of Texas,” said Noem. “So, the fact that Democrats polish this while people are always looking for their babies, they always look for family members, I think it’s absolutely despicable.”

Noem said the Americans “need to know the truth” about how democrats “take advantage of this situation to help themselves politically”.

“It is a bad service not only for the inhabitants of Texas and these families who are going through sorrow at the moment, it is a bad service for our country,” she said.

Fox News Digital contacted Murphy’s office to comment on Noem’s remarks, but they did not immediately respond.

Noem was also questioned about a federal judge pronant a temporary prohibition order against numerous ice operations that have been carried out in southern California.
She called on the decision of the “ridiculous” judge and said the federal government would appeal.

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“We have always built our operations, our surveys on cases of cases, on the knowledge of the individuals that we were to target because they were criminals, because they had led violent crimes against individuals in their community or had exceeded their orders, had violated federal laws, and it is always thus,” said Noem.