Trump to assess Texas flood damage today. And, DOGE has access to farmers' payments

By Brittney Melton

Published July 11, 2025 at 7:09 AM EDT

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President Trump is heading to Kerr County, Texas, today to personally assess the damage that was caused by the flooding. At least 120 people have died and over 170 others are listed as missing. During his visit, the president will meet with first responders, receive a briefing from local elected officials and hold a roundtable discussion. He will also meet with family members affected by the flash flood.

Vehicles sit submerged as a search and rescue worker looks through debris from the early July flash flooding in Hunt, Texas.

🎧 Direct flood victims are mostly too busy and have too many pressing problems to think about Trump's visit, NPR's Frank Morris tells Up First. Andi Fell, who lives in the county Trump is visiting, says she's grateful for the support he has provided the residents, along with other organizations and the governor. "I feel like, from what I see, just being here, they've done an excellent job with response and help," Fell said. Morris says there are also some complaints, but that is common after disasters for victims to feel ignored if a first responder doesn't show up at their home.
➡️ Flash flooding can start suddenly and become dangerous quickly. These expert safety tips could help you protect yourself before, during and after.
➡️ Texas leaders are exploring whether to install more flood warning sirens to help save lives. Here are some of the challenges that could arise, as well as how they would work.

A Department of Government Efficiency staffer recently obtained high-level access to view and change the contents of a payment system that controls billions of dollars at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to internal access logs reviewed by NPR. The money that the staffer, John Wick, can access consists of government payments and loans to farmers and ranchers across the U.S. That's a group that makes up a big chunk of Trump's political base.

🎧 A source at the USDA alerted NPR's Jenna McLaughlin to Wick's access of the system called Farm Service Agency. It is like the USDA's bank, and can provide loans to help with disaster relief. Wick can see all the personal and financial data in the system and can also write into it, change entries and cancel loans if he wants. This is in line with a memo that USDA staffers received announcing DOGE would be reviewing a large portion of loans to farmers. Zach Ducheneaux, a rancher from South Dakota, tells McLaughlin that having inexperienced people come in and threaten farmers' loans adds to uncertainty, could disrupt growing seasons and even possibly wipe out small farms.

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva says he is prepared to impose retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. if Trump follows through on his threat to implement a 50% tax on Brazilian imports starting Aug. 1. Trump posted the warning in a letter on social media, citing what he described as a "witch hunt" against Brazil's former far-right president, Jair Bolsonaro, who is currently on trial for attempting to overturn the country's 2022 election results. Trump has called for the case against Bolsonaro to be dropped, referring to him as "a highly respected leader throughout the world."

Deep dive

U.S. children born after Dec. 31, 2024, and through the end of 2028 will be eligible for Trump Accounts, seeded by $1,000 in federal funds. Families can add up to $5,000 each year until the year a child turns 18. — U.S. children born through the end of 2028 will be eligible for "Trump Accounts" that are seeded by $1,000 in federal funds. The money will then grow until the year the kids turn 18 — and families can add up to $5,000 each year.

In the coming years, millions of babies born in the U.S. will be eligible to receive a $1,000 "Trump Account," funded by the federal government. This pilot program is part of the president's signature legislation, which introduces various changes to tax and spending programs. The money in these accounts will be set aside until the child turns at least 18 years old. The idea is that this initial investment will grow over time, as it will be invested in low-cost stock funds that track market indexes. The accounts have raised several questions, including how they will operate and how they compare to other savings strategies. Here's an overview of the program:

👶 To be eligible, children must be born after Dec. 31, 2024, and before Jan. 1, 2029. They must also be a U.S. citizen with a Social Security number.
👶 Parents, relatives and others can contribute up to $5,000 annually to the accounts until the child turns 18. Employers can also chip in, though special rules apply to them.
👶 The money must go into an "eligible investment," like a mutual fund or an exchange-traded fund that mirrors an index, such as the S&P 500, according to the legislation.
👶 If no other money is contributed besides the $1,000 from the government, it could total just shy of $4,000 after 18 years at an 8% rate of return. If families contribute the maximum amount, at the same 8% rate and timing, the account could be worth over $190,000.

Weekend picks

Check out what NPR is watching, reading and listening to this weekend:

🍿 Movies: Superman flies into theaters today. Morning Edition host A Martínez spoke with writer and director James Gunn, the visionary behind the reimagining of the entire DC Comics universe for the big screen, about his vision for the movie.

📺 TV: Netflix rom-com series Too Much centers around a 30-something woman who moves to London after a breakup to work on a high-profile Christmas ad. While there, she meets a musician and stumbles into a messy situationship.

📚 Books: This week's new selections feature a novel by Gary Shteyngart, a true story about a shipwreck, and a memoir by an inmate who was wrongfully incarcerated and exonerated after 28 years in prison.

🎵 Music: In honor of SOPHIE's debut album, PRODUCT, celebrating 10 years, World Cafe put together a mix of proto-hyperpop tracks to dance and vibe to.

🎮 Gaming: Are you looking for a new video game to play this summer? Industry journalists share their favorite games from indie studios with Morning Edition.

❓ Quiz: I missed all but one question. Do you think you can get a perfect score and top that? And as a bonus, the Life Kit test can help you with tactics to make yourself less appealing to mosquitoes.

3 things to know before you go

The Italian candy company Ferrero plans to buy the American cereal maker Kellogg for $3.1 billion, the companies announced Thursday. The deal would unite the makers of household brands including Nutella and Frosted Flakes.

Italian candy giant Ferrero has agreed to buy American cereal giant Kellogg in a deal worth $3.1 billion.
TikTok researchers and users have identified a new type of deception on the popular app: deepfake videos that replicate the exact words of a real creator but use a different voice.
Elon Musk has won a dispute with his neighbors in Texas after the West Lake Hills City Council voted to let him keep his fencing and gates, provided he makes them compliant with local rules. (via KUT News)

This newsletter was edited by Suzanne Nuyen.