President Trump received an update Friday on relief efforts for Hurricane Harvey victims and said the outpouring of support was “an inspiration for the world.”
“We are one American family brought together in times of tragedy by the unbreakable bonds of love and loyalty that we have for one another,” Mr. Trump said. “And there is a great love and a great loyalty in this country and we’ve all seen it in the last four days.”
Mr. Trump said the rush of volunteer to Texas and Louisiana was inspirational.
“They have taught us all a lesson, a very very powerful lesson,” he said. “There was no outbreak of crime. There was an outbreak of compassion — real, beautiful, strong compassion.”
The president met in the Oval Office with representative from the Red Cross, Salvation Army and Southern Baptist Disaster Relief Organization, which are at the forefront of the relief effort for storm and flood victims in Texas and Louisiana.
The organizations partner with the federal government in helping at shelters, providing food, water, blankets and clothing to storm victims.
Mr. Trump pledged continued federal support.
“The federal government is on the ground bringing in significant resources to bear and I want to assure these organizations and the others involved that we will continue to coordinate with them and bring all the relief and the comfort and everything else we absolutely can to the Gulf Coast,” he said.
The widespread storm damage and historic flooding put the Trump administration to the test, with an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 homes destroyed in Houston alone.
“We will help them all recover from this tragedy,” Mr. Trump said.
He also commended the leadership of Vice President Mike Pence and first lady Melania Trump.
Mr. Trump said that his wife was moved by the devastation of the storm and the outpouring of volunteer aid.
He unexpectedly prompted Mrs. Trump to address the press at the Oval Office event.
“It’s great to be here with amazing people,” she said “I want to thank all the volunteers all across the country that came to help to Texas. Fantastic job.”
She assured the victims that “everything will be OK in the end.”
• S.A. Miller can be reached at smiller@washingtontimes.com.
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