ABC News anchor George Stephanopoulos is facing criticism after comments he made during his Sunday morning show, where he appeared to blame the Trump administration for recent flood-related deaths in Texas. His remarks come not long after ABC lost a $16 million lawsuit to former President Donald Trump.
Over the Fourth of July weekend, a major tragedy occurred in Kerr County, Texas, when heavy flooding hit the area due to rising water from the Guadalupe River. According to The Gateway Pundit, at least 51 people have died, including 14 children who were attending Camp Mystic.
Many more children who were at the camp during the flooding are still missing or unaccounted for. Search and rescue operations are ongoing, and emergency crews are working around the clock to find survivors and help those affected.
In response to the disaster, former President Donald Trump signed a “Major Disaster Declaration” to provide federal help to Kerr County. The U.S. Coast Guard and Texas first responders have already saved over 850 lives during this emergency.
While this situation was unfolding, Stephanopoulos used part of his ABC News show to focus on the government’s role in weather services. He suggested that the Trump administration may be partially responsible for the disaster, claiming they reduced funding for the National Weather Service (NWS).
During his broadcast, he said, “We’re also learning there were significant staffing shortfalls to the National Weather Services offices in the region.”
If true, this would be a serious issue. However, critics quickly pushed back on the claim, saying it was not accurate. According to multiple reports, including one shared by the White House Deputy Press Secretary Abigail Jackson, there were no staff shortages at the NWS in that region. In fact, reports say there were extra staff members on duty during the storm to help manage warnings and monitor the situation.
Abigail Jackson responded on social media, sharing a story from Wired, a well-known technology and science news outlet, which supports the claim that the NWS was fully staffed. She wrote, “This is absolute fake news and even Wired knows it.”
Her post was aimed directly at Stephanopoulos, accusing him of spreading incorrect information during a time of national mourning. Critics argue that his statements were meant to make Trump look bad, even though there is no proven connection between the Trump administration’s policies and the tragedy in Kerr County.
Some are now asking whether Stephanopoulos or ABC News could face another lawsuit, similar to the one that resulted in a $16 million judgment in Trump’s favor. Although no legal action has been confirmed, some commentators have suggested Stephanopoulos should consider issuing a retraction of his claim to avoid further legal problems.
For now, the focus in Kerr County remains on helping survivors, finding those still missing, and providing support to the families who have lost loved ones. The cause of the flooding appears to be natural and extreme weather-related, and investigations into how local and federal agencies responded are likely to continue.
As the situation develops, the public is being urged to stay informed through official updates rather than speculation. The debate over what Stephanopoulos said highlights how tragedies can quickly become political, even when communities are still grieving and rescue work is still underway.
