WASHINGTON —

President Donald Trump on Friday toured the devastation from catastrophic flooding in Texas and lauded state and local officials, even amid mounting criticism that they may have failed to warn residents quickly enough that a deadly wall of water was coming their way.

Trump has repeatedly promised to do away with the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of his larger pledges to dramatically shrink the size of government, and he's fond of decrying officials in Democrat-run states hit by past natural disasters and tragedy.

HOW TO DONATE TO TEXAS FLOOD VICTIMS

But the president struck a far more somber and sympathetic tone while visiting America's most populous Republican state — highlighting the heartbreak of what happened while effusively praising elected officials an

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