Trump Visits Texas Flood Sites: ‘Hell of a Situation, Isn’t It?’

President Trump and Melania Trump traveled Friday to an area of Texas devastated by last weekend’s extreme flash flooding, which left more than 120 people dead. The president and first lady passed downed trees and saw an overturned tractor-trailer as local officials took them on a tour of a disaster zone around Kerrville, a community along the Guadalupe River that has become a hub for search and recovery work.

After the tour, Mr. and Mrs. Trump held a round table packed with state and local officials. Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, sat beside Mr. Trump. Senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, both Republicans, were there, too. House members from across the state turned up, as did Phil McGraw, the Trump-supporting reality television star with Texas roots.

“Oh, there’s Dr. Phil,” Mr. Trump said. “Look at Dr. Phil. You’re looking good, Phil. This is a hell of a situation, isn’t it, huh?”

“This might be a time for you to give us some of your words of wisdom,” Mr. Trump said a bit later, and Dr. McGraw spoke for a while about how to comfort neighbors who have experienced the loss of a child.

Republican lawmakers, including Representative Chip Roy, whose district was the epicenter of the flood zone, praised the Trump administration for its response. “When I called you on Friday,” Mr. Roy said to Mr. Trump, “you said, ‘Whatever you need.’ When I called the secretary’s office, she called me within 15 minutes and said, ‘Whatever you need.’ And then she came here this weekend. I’ve never seen such a quick response and such a focus on delivering for the people.”

But there have been questions about the response at the local and federal levels. The president angrily batted away suggestions that there was something lacking in how authorities handled the tragedy.