Matt Gagnon criticizes the federal response to the Texas floods, blaming bureaucratic obstacles and the Trump administration’s policies. He highlights that FEMA now requires Homeland Security Christy Noem’s approval for contracts over $100,000, delaying disaster response. This rule stripped FEMA of autonomy, causing delays in deploying Urban Search and Rescue teams. Gagnon argues that FEMA’s inefficiencies are systemic, spanning multiple administrations, and not solely due to the Trump administration’s plans to dismantle FEMA. He suggests that local responses, like Texas’s immediate action, might be more effective than the federal bureaucracy.