Conspiracy theories about weather modification programs are surging online amid a torrent of misinformation following tragic flash floods that struck the US state of Texas on July 4, 2025, with posts across platforms claiming a local cloud seeding operation triggered the rainstorms.

Q: Is it true that if President Donald Trump hadn’t defunded the National Weather Service, the death toll in the Texas flooding would have been far lower or nonexistent? A: The Trump administration did not defund the NWS but did reduce the staff by 600 people.

The White House is defending the National Weather Service and accusing some Democrats of playing politics in the wake of devastating floods in Texas.

More than 111 people have died across six counties after flash flooding from heavy rain began affecting the state last week.

NWS says Flash Flood Warnings were issued on July 3 and early July 4 in Central Texas, giving more than three hours of warning.

There's no sense in finger-pointing over whether or not alerts went out fast enough in Texas, said Landry. As she sees it, preparing for the weather comes down to knowing the landscape where you live and planning out what to do if disaster strikes. "You have to be aware and prepared," she said.

After the death toll in the catastrophic flash floods in Texas reached at least 104 people, including 27 campers and counselors from Camp Mystic, an all girls camp, the Trump administration is explaining the series of warnings that were issued ahead of the floods.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cut hundreds of jobs as the National Weather Service earlier this year.

What were the National Weather Service forecasts? Why is it so hard to know where rain will fall? Did staff reductions at the weather service and other budget cuts by the Trump administration contribute to the catastrophe?