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Noem's FEMA response, cloud seeding & near-death experience

Noem's FEMA response, cloud seeding & near-death experience

Plus: Is Labubu toy based on demon Pazuzu?

Megan Loe
July 12, 2025

SATURDAY EDITION

Snopes Debunker

A white woman with wavy long brunette hair standing in front of a podium.

Unpacking reports Noem's cost controls delayed FEMA's Texas flood response

After flash floods devastated central Texas earlier this month, a rumor spread online that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose agency oversees the Federal Emergency Management Agency, failed to authorize deployment of FEMA rescue teams for more than 72 hours.

The rumor circulated on X, Facebook and Reddit, with many posts citing CNN as their source. But was the claim accurate? Snopes reporter Rae Deng investigated.

Two people stand near a downed tree in a river. The water appears to be really, really high.

Unraveling claims cloud seeding caused deadly Texas floods in 2025

Some people online suggested cloud seeding conducted by the company Rainmaker Technology Corp. was to blame for deadly flooding in Texas.

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Snopes has been busy fact-checking political claims, including those related to President Donald Trump's new administration. But our work goes far beyond politics. For instance, a fact check featured later in this newsletter looked into whether Tom Cruise really walked off "The View" after Joy Behar questioned him about Scientology. We need your help to keep doing this far-ranging work. By building our membership, we will be able to continue cutting straight to the facts on any subject our readers are interested in. We appreciate any support you can give.

A white man wearing a blue suit sits at a desk. A social media post pictured to his right says, "Could you all just FOCUS on the very many other more important things to discuss than whether or not I may or MAY NOT be all over the Epstein Files? There was a BIG FLOOD in Texas. Huge flood as it relates to water. Many people DIED. Many beautiful young girls. Perhaps some not so beautiful illegal Mexican peoples as well. Perhaps drug dealers disguised as day laborers. You can never tell. They don't speak American. That is very suspicious. Again, forget about me and the Epstein Files. Focus on MEXICANS and FLOODING."

Trump didn't ask people to focus on girls who died in Texas floods over Epstein files

Nor did he say "Focus on MEXICANS and FLOODING" on Truth Social.

A white man smiling and holding a microphone that says ET on it is pictured next to a white woman who is also holding a microphone and smiling.

Tom Cruise walked off 'The View' after Joy Behar questioned him about Scientology?

Online videos claimed the Hollywood star stormed out of the ABC talk show following a confrontational interview about his religious beliefs.

An image claims to show a girl with tears in her eyes lying in bed.

Story about 14-year-old Madison Taylor Brooks' near-death experience with Jesus doesn't add up

Users shared a story about a girl who allegedly briefly died and met Jesus Christ, who warned her of the dangers of living with modern technology.

Staff Pick

A fuzzy monster toy with big eyes and a wide grin holds a Coca-Cola bottle in its hand.

Is Labubu toy based on demon Pazuzu? What to know

Pazuzu, a demon from Mesopotamian folklore, was the evil entity from "The Exorcist."