Hurricane Harvey: Trump Stops In Austin To Assess Damage, Doesn't Meet With Evacuees (Updated)

AUSTIN, TX — Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, arrived in Austin at 2:30 p.m. CST in an attempt to assess the damage caused by Tropical Storm Harvey.

Hundreds of protesters critical of Trump's administration and recent actions on myriad issues lined the path of his motorcade to denounce his stance on such issues as immigration and a seeming disdain for science. One protest touchstone centered on Trump's recent pardon of former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was found guilty of disregarding a judge's order to stop ethically profiling Latinos in effecting arrests.

"Liar, cheat, racist," one protester's sign read. "Latinas against Trump" read another. "You pardoned Joe, what about José?" a third conveyed, a reference to the presidential pardon. In earlier remarks this week, Trump acknowledged having taken advantage of big television ratings amid coverage of the Texas disaster to call more attention to his pardon of the former sheriff this past Friday.

Details of the presidential motorcade were not released, but the presidential motorcade required the closing off of several key local arteries, creating some disruption in normal traffic patterns. The first couple arrived at the Austin-Begstrom International Airport in Austin after visiting Corpus Christi, Texas, which was largely spared of the devastating deluge that hit Houston and other coastal cities along the gulf coast.

Trump arrived in standard presidential attire for a presidential disaster visit (windbreaker in lieu of a suit along with comfortable slacks) save for a conspicuous white baseball cap with "USA" emblazoned on the front—a bit of headgear he wore during an earlier press conference with Gov. Greg Abbott while in Corpus Christi. Mrs. Trump sported a casual white, long-sleeved blouse, dark slacks and comfortable white sneakers (except for later, when she changed to her signature stilettos)—her clothing choices a departure from the haute couture ensembles the former fashion model usually graces for a more utilitarian wardrobe given the nature of her Texas visit.

That ball cap Trump wore to Texas caused some controversy—not as a fashion choice but for the ethical implications of his having worn it. As it happens, the same baseball cap is sold on Trump's money-raising campaign website where it's offered for $40. A group called Citizens for Ethics pointed this out on Twitter, suggesting his donning the cap had less to do with patriotism than it was subtle sales pitch.

To get to the their first stop, the Department of Public Safety's emergency operation center, Trump's motorcade traveled to North Lamar Boulevard and Koenig Lane where the president will be briefed on response efforts likely between around 3 p.m. and 4 p.m.

Drivers in South Austin were also affected by the presidential travel prompting the closing of streets to accommodate Trump's motorcade. Some of the affected ares included southbound Interstate 35 closures to accommodate the motorcade. U.S. 290 and Texas 71 also were beset with traffic buildup as a result of the presidential visit.

Related stories:

Hurricane Harvey: Trump Plans Stop In Austin To Survey Flooding Damage

President Trump Visits Texas To See Hurricane Response, Promises Aid And Services

Trump did not visit ground zero of the damage during his trip, staying instead in the safe environs of the emergency response center at the Department of Public Safety in Austin and a fire station in Corpus Christi.

Both Austin and San Antonio were largely spared from Hurricane Harvey, experiencing some flooding at worst but not nearly the level of devastation in Houston and elsewhere along the Texas coast. The president said earlier he chose not to visit Houston as an example, because he didn't want his presence to yield a disruption amid recovery efforts.

Indeed, by the time Trump made it out to Austin, the streets were dry, the sky clear, and the temperatures in the comfortable mid 80s range —a far cry from the entire weekend marked by heavy downpours and strong winds that sparking cancellations of classes at schools amid widespread flooding.

Joining Trump in both Corpus Christi and San Antonio was Gov. Greg Abbott. Trump brought four members of his cabinet on the Texas trip: Housing Secretary Ben Carson; Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price; Small Business Administration chief Linda McMahon; and acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke.

In public remarks, nothing substantive was offered in the way of federal efforts to help coastal cities rebuild after a deluge now being described as a 1,000-year flood. Flanked by both U.S. senators from Texas, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn, Trump offered the closest approximation to insight into federal assistance as it relates to rebuilding saying: "We're going to working with Congress with helping out the state of Texas. It's going to be a costly proposition. We'll be working with these characters over here, and I think we'll come through with the right solution. But probably there's never been anything so expensive in our country's history."

Instead, officials largely took turns complimenting each other on their response.

"Mr. President, thank you for your leadership and the First Lady also," Carson said. "Compassion permeates everything that's been done. It's been great working with everybody. And, governor...one of the people I admire the most. Thank you for what you've been doing. Everybody who we've been working with is fantastic."

He then ticked off a number of existing HUD-related tools that could be used to offer relief to hurricane victims—foreclosure relief, insurance products and the like—during his two-minute synopsis from a housing agency perspective.

The exceptions were Price and McMahon, each providing detailed overviews about their agencies' plans of action in responding to the crisis. McMahon noted her agency had already approved one home loan during the trip in helping that victim's efforts to rebuild.

"We want to do it better than ever before," Trump said, self-complimenting himself on his own response to the tragedy by visiting Austin and Corpus Christi. "We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, this is the way to do it."

Abbott, the president's fellow Republican, chose his speaking time at a press conference to heap lavish praise on the president's response: "I want to express my deep gratitude to the president, for him and his entire Cabinet and staff for what they've done over the past couple weeks. A lot of people see what happens in front of the camera. I want to reveal in just one minute what's been going on behind the scenes, behind the camera for the past two weeks. Members of the president's Cabinet and the president himself were in contact with me and my office pre-preparing for this catastrophe coming our way. Every step of the way as the hurricane came across the shore, as the flooding began in Houston, Texas, the president and his Cabinet remained in constant contact with me and my staff, and they all had one thing to say. Texas, what do you need? how can we help?"

Most conspicuously, Trump didn't take time to visit Austin shelters that have taken in hundreds of evacuees from the flood-ravaged Texas Gulf Coast. Instead, his interaction with residents took place outside a Corpus Christi fire station where supporters cheered him on in what was more akin to a campaign rally than show of empathy for victims of natural disaster.

For good measure, Trump held up a Texas flag amid cheers from those gathered. "What a crowd! what a turnout!" he exclaimed to supporters outside the fire house.

The Trumps departed Austin at around 4:20 p.m. CST from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport.

President Donald Trump, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, holds up a Texas flag after speaking with supporters outside Firehouse 5 in Corpus Christi, Texas, Tuesday, Aug. 29, 2017, , where he received a briefing on Harvey relief efforts. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)