Texas Local Official Caught Mocking Noem In Text Messages After Floods
Kerrville officials were largely unprepared for the catastrophic floods that struck the Hill Country on July 4, as revealed by recently disclosed city communications, including emails and text messages obtained by KSAT through public records requests.
Among the documents is a text conversation in which Dalton Rice, the city manager of Kerrville, appears to mock U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Hours prior to a July 5 press conference, which was held with federal, state, and local officials to inform the public about rescue operations, a city employee texted Rice, “Just saw you met Homeland Barbie. How is she?”
Rice responded, “Basically Homeland Barbie,” followed by a series of laughter emojis.
Since Noem’s appointment as DHS Secretary earlier this year, the nickname and other similar monikers, such as “ICE Barbie,” have been used online to ridicule her.
Given the gravity of the disaster response and the increasing criticism regarding its management, this exchange has garnered attention.
Democrats, in particular, have been vocal in their criticism of the response, which is not unexpected. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy, one of the most partisan left-leaning Democrats in the Senate, asserted that the Trump administration weakened FEMA’s readiness by dismissing FEMA employees while flood victims were actively reaching out to the agency for help, although he did not directly hold Noem accountable for the flooding itself.
Earlier this month, Noem countered allegations of delays by defending the federal response during an interview on Fox News Sunday.
After consulting with Texas officials, she stated that within hours, over 700 FEMA personnel were deployed on the ground. She also mentioned that the Coast Guard was dispatched immediately following that discussion.
The Guadalupe River was the site of the most lethal flooding, and Texas officials have historically opposed initiatives to implement a warning siren system there. Critics argue that such a system could have averted fatalities.
A key National Weather Service emergency coordination officer was terminated months before the disaster due to a controversial reorganization.
Prior to the impending storm, Kerrville and its surrounding areas are advocating for accountability and systemic reform in light of the disaster.
The catastrophic flooding in Texas resulted in the loss of at least 137 lives, with 108 of those fatalities occurring specifically in Kerr County. Among the deceased were 27 children and staff members from Camp Mystic, a long-established Christian summer camp for girls located near Hunt.
Investigators are presently examining whether the officials at Camp Mystic were aware of and took action regarding flash flood warnings prior to the incident.
This occurrence has sparked broader concerns regarding how vulnerable organizations, such as youth camps, assess and react to rapidly changing weather threats.
Earlier this month, Noem stated that the federal response to the recent deadly floods in Texas Hill Country highlighted the enhanced disaster relief initiatives that the Trump administration is dedicated to implementing.
The disastrous floods on the Fourth of July resulted in at least 119 fatalities and left over 150 individuals unaccounted for, including 27 girls from Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas.
“What you observed from our response in Texas will largely reflect how President [Donald] Trump envisions the future of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),” Noem remarked during a press conference.
She further commented: “Our actions in Texas, in response, were markedly different from those of Joe Biden.”
In relation to the 2023 train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, the Biden administration concluded that the chemical spill did not meet the criteria for a FEMA disaster declaration, resulting in a two-week delay in the deployment of a federal response team.
During the 2023 Maui wildfires—which resulted in over 100 fatalities and devastated historic Lahaina—survivors found themselves without food, water, or shelter. At that time, FEMA Administrator Michael Brown criticized President Biden’s management of the crisis as “an abject failure.”
Extensive reports also highlighted the sluggish response and inadequate support.