Texas aftermath: a pickup truck buried under rocks, debris, and water. The floods have killed more than 120, and dozens are still missing. Image: Facebook/Mimi Joeckle.
(The Post News)– As Texans begin to recover from the devastating floods that swept through south-central Texas, President Donald Trump’s administration is moving ahead with its 2026 budget proposal. The budget proposal includes deep cuts to federal agencies responsible for weather forecasting, climate research, and emergency response. The proposal has raised concerns among experts and lawmakers.
According to The New York Times, the administration plans to slash the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) budget by 23%, close 10 major weather and climate labs, and eliminate thousands of jobs. Facilities set to shut down include Miami’s hurricane reconnaissance base and Oklahoma’s National Severe Storms Laboratory—both vital for tracking extreme weather.
The National Weather Service, which has already lost hundreds of staff members, is expected to suffer further reductions, with some forecast offices understaffed and others cutting overnight operations and weather balloon launches. Cassidy DiPaola, communications director at Fossil Free Media, told The Guardian that gutting NOAA and slashing climate research were key contributors to the deadly Texas floods, which claimed more than 120 lives.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is among the agencies affected, as the administration also plans to reduce its role—revoking $3.6 billion in disaster preparedness grants and proposing to shift disaster recovery costs to individual states. FEMA reported that nearly a quarter of its full-time staff have already left the agency, including many experienced emergency managers.
Experts fear that the budget cuts targeting the U.S. Geological Survey’s flood monitoring network and NASA’s Earth-observing satellite programs will severely limit the country’s ability to monitor climate risks and issue timely warnings. One expert described the situation as something close to witnessing a demolition of disaster response. Moreover, experts have warned that if the proposed cuts move forward, they will undermine public safety, reduce the accuracy of weather forecasting, and erode the nation’s capacity to respond to a future of escalating climate threats.
Meanwhile, the White House has argued that these changes are part of a broader plan to streamline “bloated” government bureaucracies. However, critics say they pose a serious risk.
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