Mel brings her own 'pumps'
President Trump and First Lady Melania brought some Texas-size bravado to the Tropical Storm Harvey disaster scene on Tuesday — as he marveled at the size of a waiting crowd and she left Washington, DC, in snakeskin stilettos.
“Thank you everybody. What a crowd! What a turnout!” a beaming Trump told the few hundred people gathered outside the Annaville Fire Department station in Corpus Christi, where the first couple met with Texas Gov. Greg Abbott and other officials.
Trump climbed on a ladder and praised the crowd.
“We love you, you are special, we are here to take care of you,” said the president, wearing a cap — which sells for $40 on his campaign Web site — that read “USA” on the front and “Trump” on the back.
“It’s going well. It’s historic. It’s epic. But I tell you, it happened in Texas and Texas can handle anything,” Trump declared while holding a Lone Star State flag.
“We are going to get you back and operating immediately,” he said, contradicting local officials who insisted it would take years for the region to recover.
In Austin later,ter, he corrected himself, saying, “It’s going to be long-term, it’st’s not going to be a quick one.”ne.”
Trump also signaledignaled that he’ll be asking Congress for a huge sum of money to aid victims.
“It’s going to be a costly proposition,” Trumprump said.
Not everyonee supported the president’s visit. One banner read, “Youou par-par- doned Joe, what about José?” a reference to his pardon of former Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a hardliner on immigration.
The first lady also raised eyebrows when she was photographed leaving DC while rocking a pair of high-rise black snakeskin stilettos — prompting a torrent of scorn.
“Those high heels are really practical for today,” Los Angeles Police Commissioner Steve Soboroff tweeted sarcastically.
Melania later changed into a pair of white Stan Smith sneakers and a black “FLOTUS” ball cap (below) upon arriving on Air Force One.
“It’s sad that we have an active and ongoing natural disaster in Texas, and people are worried about her shoes,” Melania spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham responded.
Trump praised first responders and civilian volunteers as rescue efforts continued, with more than 3,500 people so rescued.
“You have been just outstanding,” the president said. “We won’t say congratulations. We don’t want to do that. We don’t want to congratulate. We’ll congratulate each other when it’s all finished, but you have been terrific.”
Trump will return to Texas this weekend. White House Press Secretaryy Sarah Huckabee Sanders said he will be in ththe Lone Star State and ppossibly Louisiana on Saturday.
“We’ll go baback into a different ppart of the state, to have a chance to see some of the areas wwe were not able to today,”
Sanders said.