The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tried to shoot down a CNN report exposing its delayed response to the deadly Texas floods — but ended up confirming the details almost exactly as reported.
On Wednesday afternoon, DHS fired off a defiant social media post calling CNN’s report “a FAKE NEWS LIE.” But in the very same statement, DHS confirmed key facts CNN had exposed — including a three-day delay in FEMA’s full deployment. The backlash was immediate and brutal.
At least 120 people are dead and over 160 still missing after floods tore through parts of Texas. CNN reported that while local crews scrambled to save lives, FEMA was stuck waiting for approval from DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to send in help.
Here’s the problem: Noem has enforced a rule requiring her personal signature for any FEMA contract or grant over $100,000. As CNN put it, “even as Texas rescue crews raced to save lives, FEMA officials realized they needed Noem’s approval before sending [in] additional assets.” That approval didn’t come until Monday — more than 72 hours after the floods began.
CNN also found that:
Texas officials asked FEMA for aerial imagery to aid search efforts — but that was delayed waiting on Noem’s sign-off.
FEMA’s call centers were overwhelmed because contracts for support staff were also waiting for Noem’s green light.
FEMA staffers were stuck answering phones instead of being on the ground.
Then came DHS’s meltdown online.
Calling CNN’s work “an unparalleled display of activist journalism,” the department claimed Noem led a “robust, coordinated federal response” that “saved over 900+ lives.” They added, “By Tuesday, FEMA had deployed 311 staffers.”
But that’s exactly CNN’s point — Tuesday was four days after the flooding started on Friday.
CNN had reported: “By Monday night, only 86 FEMA staffers had been deployed… By Tuesday night, the federal response expanded to 311 staffers.” In other words, CNN’s timeline was spot on — and DHS confirmed it.
Critics didn’t hold back.
Aaron Blake pointed out: “This statement doesn’t actually dispute the reporting. In fact, it says, ‘By Tuesday…’ Tuesday is, quite notably, after the 72-hour window.”
Jason Kinney wrote: “This is what happens when your Administration lives in an alternative reality where improv lying is standard operating procedure. No one believes you, even when it’s really important stuff.”
Robert Elisberg added: “CNN did not say FEMA did nothing. But that they didn’t do some important things they usually do. DHS has long lost credibility, & sadly their note below doesn’t improve on that.”
Mediaite put it bluntly: “DHS’s over-the-top rebuttal underscores the power of CNN’s reporting… Furious denials wrapped in the very narrative they aim to quash.”
And economist Noah Smith didn’t mince words either: “This is just absolute cringe.”
To top it off, CNN revealed that FEMA’s acting head David Richardson still hadn’t visited Texas as of Wednesday morning — nearly a week into the disaster.
DHS insists it’s taking an “all-hands-on-deck” approach. But with lives lost and federal help slowed by red tape, critics say the department is in full damage-control mode — and failing.
