President Donald Trump handed out lunches and hugged children at a relief centre in Houston as he witnessed the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey.
Mr Trump and his wife Melania shook hands with survivors and posed for photographs with them at the NRG Center in Houston where victims have gathered.
Mr Trump walked into an area marked “KID ZONE!!” where children were playing board games and colouring with crayons. He was quickly surrounded by small children who gave him high-fives.
One young girl grabbed the president, and he picking her up and gave her a kiss. He also sat at a table with three young children.
Mrs Trump, wearing a “Texas” baseball cap, knelt on the floor with a group of youngsters.
The first couple then joined volunteers handing out boxed lunches containing hot dogs, crisps and apple sauce, and chatted with those in line.
Asked what his message was for the people of Texas, Mr Trump said: “The message is that things are working out well. Really, I think people appreciate what’s been done. It’s been done very efficiently, very well, and that’s what we want. We’re very happy with the way everything is going. A lot of love. There’s a lot of love.”
Mr Trump was asked what the families and children he met had told him.
He said: “They were just happy. We saw a lot of happiness. It’s been really nice. It’s been a wonderful thing. As tough as this was, it’s been a wonderful thing, I think even for the country to watch it and for the world to watch. It’s been beautiful.
“They’re really happy with what’s going on. It’s something that’s been very well received, even by you guys it’s been very well received.”
Asked whether he looked out the window of Air Force One as he arrived in flooded Houston Mr Trump said: “The flooding? Oh, yeah, yeah, there’s a lot of water, but it’s leaving pretty quickly. But there’s a lot of water, a lot of water, but it’s moving out.
“But I think most importantly, the governor, the relationship with the governor, the mayor and everybody, it’s been fantastic.
“And with the federal government. We’re signing a lot of documents now to get money into your state. $7.9 billion. We signed it and now it’s going through a very quick process.”
Mr and Mrs Trumps spent nearly 45 minutes at the NRG Center.
It followed criticism that the president did not meet people directly affected by the storm on a visit to Texas earlier in the week.
Via https://uk.news.yahoo.com/donald-trump-plays-apos-comforter-185031942.html
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