Camp Mystic Flood Tragedy: 68 Dead as Trump, Musk Face Backlash Over NOAA Cuts

As Texas reels from deadly July 4 floods, blame is turning toward former President Donald Trump and Elon Musk over sweeping cuts to weather forecasting agencies. In Kerr County alone, 68 girls and staff were found dead at Camp Mystic, a Christian summer retreat overtaken by the Guadalupe River. Ten remain missing.

“No warning, no time,” officials said. Nearby Camp Waldemar narrowly avoided the same fate.

Local leaders admitted no evacuation alerts were issued. A New York Times report blames staffing shortages at the National Weather Service (NWS) and NOAA, where key forecasting roles went unfilled—many tied to early retirement buyouts under Trump’s “DOGE” efficiency program, promoted by Musk.

Critical vacancies included senior hydrologists and lead meteorologists in San Antonio and San Angelo—regions tasked with issuing emergency alerts.

A viral post asking if Trump’s NOAA cuts led to the deaths got an unexpected answer: “Yes,” replied Grok, Musk’s AI chatbot, which cited delayed warnings and flawed rainfall estimates. Grok added, “Facts over feelings,” sparking a political firestorm.

Trump has since signed a federal disaster declaration and promised aid. “GOD BLESS TEXAS,” he posted on Truth Social. Critics, however, say his response is “too little, too late.”

Camp Mystic now lies in ruins, its joyful summer silenced by grief. As families mourn, questions grow louder: Was this tragedy fueled solely by nature—or worsened by policy failures and defunded safety systems meant to prevent it?

The debate over accountability has only just begun.