Skip to main content

FactCheck.org^® A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center

FactCheck.org^®

Home
Articles
Ask a Question
- Ask FactCheck
- Ask SciCheck
Donate
Topics
About Us
Search
More
- Viral Claims
- Subscribe
- Instagram
- Threads
- YouTube
- X (Twitter)
- Facebook
- TikTok
- FactCheck On the Air
- Mailbag

Ask FactCheck

Ask FactCheck

Q: Is it true that if President Donald Trump hadn’t defunded the National Weather Service, the death toll in the Texas flooding would have been far lower or nonexistent?

A: The Trump administration did not defund the NWS but did reduce the staff by 600 people. Those staffing cuts did not cause the high number of deaths in the flash floods on July 4, experts said. Local forecasting offices were sufficiently staffed and issued timely warnings. But experts raised concerns about key positions being vacant, which could have affected coordination with local communities.

Read the full question and answer

View the Ask FactCheck archives

Have a question? Ask us.

Because facts matter.

SciCheck's COVID-19/Vaccination Project

Preempting and exposing vaccination and COVID-19 misinformation.

Proyecto de Vacunación/COVID-19

Precaviendo y exponiendo la desinformación sobre el COVID-19 y sus vacunas

SciCheck

Fact-checking science-based claims.

Facebook Initiative

Debunking viral claims.

Players Guide 2024

The special interest groups behind the TV ads.

Viral Spiral

Don’t get spun by internet rumors.

Sign Up

Get free email alerts.

Mailbag

Letters from our readers.

On the Air

Our staff on TV and radio.

NewsFeed Defenders

A media literacy game to detect misinformation.

Archives
Privacy
Copyright Policy
Contact Us
Report Accessibility Issues and Get Help

© Copyright 2025 FactCheck.org ^®
A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania