Cuts to the National Weather Service has ignited debate about the agency's ability to respond to emergency weather events, like the Hill Country floods.

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.

The White House is defending the National Weather Service and accusing some Democrats of playing politics in the wake of devastating floods in Texas.

Key positions at National Weather Service offices across Texas are vacant, sowing doubt over the state’s ability to respond to natural disasters as rescuers comb through the flood-ravaged Hill Country.

NWS says Flash Flood Warnings were issued on July 3 and early July 4 in Central Texas, giving more than three hours of warning.

After the death toll in the catastrophic flash floods in Texas reached at least 104 people, including 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all girls camp, the Trump administration is explaining the series of warnings that were issued ahead of the floods.

Some experts say staff shortages might have complicated forecasters’ ability to coordinate responses with local emergency management officials.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut hundreds of jobs as the National Weather Service earlier this year.

Heavy rain poured over the Texas Hill Country on Independence Day, with the flooding causing more than 100 deaths.Here's a timeline of the disaster:Tuesday, July 2On July 2, the Texas Division of Emergency Management said it activated "state emergency response resources in anticipation of increased threats of flooding in parts of West and Central Texas heading into the holiday weekend.