President Donald Trump on Friday had a simple message for the people of Texas, as the state faces what many have speculated will be the most damaging hurricane to make landfall nationwide since Hurricane Katrina in 2005: “Good luck.”
“Mr. President, do you have a message for the people of Texas?” a reporter shouted at the President as he walked to Marine One, which was waiting to whisk him away to Camp David.
“Good luck to everybody!” Trump yelled back. “They’re going to be safe. Good luck to everybody. Good luck.”
“It’s not a trip. I wouldn’t characterize it as a trip. It’s just 45 minutes up the road,” is how Trump’s homeland security adviser Thomas Bossert described the planned weekend at Camp David during a White House briefing Friday.
The Department of Homeland Security, which oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has been without a permanent leader since John Kelly was sworn in as Trump’s chief of staff on July 31.
Trump did tweet out his encouragement that Texans prepare for the monster storm on Thursday afternoon, and again on Friday.
As #HurricaneHarvey intensifies – remember to #PlanAhead.
☑️https://t.co/FMdmvohypy
☑️https://t.co/YL56ldeqoW
☑️https://t.co/t1s4AL3B47 pic.twitter.com/tpXmOK70ug— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 24, 2017
I encourage everyone in the path of #HurricaneHarvey to heed the advice & orders of their local and state officials. https://t.co/N6uEWCZUrv
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 25, 2017
At a press briefing Thursday, White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Acting DHS Secretary Elaine Duke was “watching this closely — very involved in the process along with the Acting Director for FEMA.”
“The President has been briefed and will continue to be updated as the storm progresses and certainly something he’s very aware of, and we’ll keep a very watchful eye on, and stands ready to provide resources if needed,” she added.
Watch Trump’s comments below:
