Trump: ‘Probably There’s Never Been’ A US Disaster As Expensive As Harvey

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott listens as President Donald Trump speaks about Harvey relief efforts, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, at the the Texas Department of Public Safety Emergency Operations Center in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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President Donald Trump on Tuesday said there has “probably” never been a disaster as expensive as Hurricane Harvey in U.S. history.

“Harvey. Sounds like such an innocent name,” Trump said at a briefing in Austin, Texas. “It’s not. It’s not innocent.”

He said “the sad thing” about Harvey, which has a rising death toll, was that it “is longterm.”

“Nobody’s ever seen anything this long and nobody’s seen this much water,” Trump said. “Probably there’s never been anything so expensive in our country’s history.”

Federal Emergency Management Agency administrator Brock Long on Sunday said the agency would be helping with Texas’ recovery from the hurricane “for years.”

“We’re setting up and gearing up for the next couple years,” he said. “This disaster is going to be a landmark event.”

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