Trump's meandering Sunday morning tweetstorm never once mentioned Houston
Donald Trump woke up early on Sunday morning to grim news out of Texas: a flash flood emergency had been declared in and around Houston after 2 feet of rain fell in 24 hours, with more to come.
SEE ALSO: Hurricane Harvey slams storm chasers: 'One of the worst hurricanes I've ever been in'
In response, he picked up his phone and — using his preferred method of communication with the public — fired off a pair of tweets:
Great coordination between agencies at all levels of government. Continuing rains and flash floods are being dealt with. Thousands rescued.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
Hurricane Harvey dumped 1 to 2 feet inches of rain on the Houston area between Saturday and Sunday morning, a catastrophic development that's left the people of Houston facing historic flooding. In all, the damage is likely to dramatically exceed that of Tropical Storm Allison, the 2001 weather event that claimed 41 lives and wrought $9 billion worth of destruction.
It's gotten so bad, in fact, that the National Weather Service issued a warning to Houston residents at 7:16 a.m. ET: if the highest floors in your home become uninhabitable, take refuge on the roof rather than your attic.
Trump's tweet came several hours later, though it wasn't the first tweet of the day from a president who woke up to a devastating natural disaster. Roughly 20 minutes before Trump's Harvey-related tweet — which, you should note, makes no mention of the situation in Houston at all — he tweeted this...
A great book by a great guy, highly recommended! https://t.co/3jbDDN8YmJ
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
Clarke is a controversial figure in the law enforcement community, often getting a mention in the same breath as the former sheriff, Joe Arpaio, whom Trump recently — and controversially — pardoned. As with the pardon, the weather disaster provides Trump with cover as he boosts divisive personalities.
Not much cover, mind you. Ever-attentive Twitter users spotted Trump's pro-Clarke tweet and called out the highly questionable timing.
They're telling people to climb onto their rooftops in Houston and this jackass is tweeting about a book. #houstonfloodhttps://t.co/lDuS0RgTgM
— Justin Yandell (@ShotgunZen) August 27, 2017
😡😤 @realDonaldTrump MSM coverage you diverted with damn pardon crap could have been focused on #houstonflood evac. & prep. This cost lives
— ♻️ Christopher Zullo (@ChrisJZullo) August 27, 2017
I seriously can't believe Trump is tweeting a book review when #houstonflood is happening and people are drowning. #SundayMorningpic.twitter.com/PsJlgawjme
— Barbara Ann 🔹 (@TweetingYarnie) August 27, 2017
Daylight reveals the extent of flooding in Houston #hurricane#harvey#Houston buffalobayoupark #flood#flooding #… https://t.co/YCyGkAJg6Mpic.twitter.com/wAYU7zZz7G
— DoubleHorn Photo (@DoubleHornPhoto) August 27, 2017
Trump also sought to portray the storm response as seamless, even as thousands are being rescued from rapidly flooding homes in Houston.
Many people are now saying that this is the worst storm/hurricane they have ever seen. Good news is that we have great talent on the ground.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
Take note, folks: you're now seeing what Trump looks like in action during a crisis that he himself didn't create. It's not pretty.
UPDATED Aug. 27 at 9:17 a.m. ET: Trump sent out two more tweets after the earlier three, for a total of five Sunday morning tweets. Out of those five, not a single one mentions the terrible situation in Houston.
I will be going to Texas as soon as that trip can be made without causing disruption. The focus must be life and safety.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
I will also be going to a wonderful state, Missouri, that I won by a lot in '16. Dem C.M. is opposed to big tax cuts. Republican will win S!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
Trump does at least say that he's going to visit Texas, but in the very next tweet he drops the subject of Harvey completely and resorts again to one of his favorite forms of address: self-praise.
History is watching, Mr. Trump.
UPDATED Aug. 27 at 9:47 a.m. ET: There's now a sixth Trump tweet. Still no mention of Houston, but worse than that: he's embraced a weirdly celebratory tone.
Wow - Now experts are calling #Harvey a once in 500 year flood! We have an all out effort going, and going well!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
You can almost visualize him shouting "Our storms are the best. The BEST." from the podium of one of his stump speeches. It's a remarkably ignorant response to a situation that has already claimed multiple levels, and threatens to claim more with each passing hour.
UPDATED Aug. 27 at 10:17 a.m. ET: Two more tweets....
With Mexico being one of the highest crime Nations in the world, we must have THE WALL. Mexico will pay for it through reimbursement/other.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
We are in the NAFTA (worst trade deal ever made) renegotiation process with Mexico & Canada.Both being very difficult,may have to terminate?
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
That's eight Sunday morning tweets and no mention whatsoever of the situation in Houston. Someone needs to impress upon this president the importance of comforting the nation when tragedy strikes, because he's clearly incapable of grasping that on his own.
UPDATED Aug. 27 at 10:35 a.m. ET: Ninth tweet. Still no mention of Houston.
Going to a Cabinet Meeting (tele-conference) at 11:00 A.M. on #Harvey. Even experts have said they've never seen one like this!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
Also worth noting: The unprecedented nature of this storm had been forecasted in the days and hours before Harvey made landfall.
UPDATED Aug. 27 at 10:59 a.m. ET: A 10th tweet again referenced the storm, but still not a single mention of Houston, where an historic catastrophe continues to unfold.
Major rescue operations underway!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2017
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