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“My name is Donald Trump and I’m the largest real estate developer in New York. I own buildings all over the place. I’ve mastered the art of the deal and turned the name Trump into the highest-quality brand.”

This is how Donald Trump introduced himself in the opening credits of The Apprentice when it first aired on 8 January 2004.

He was already a well-known businessman, having turned his father Fred’s rental company into a billion-dollar real estate empire. His turbulent finances – and love life – had also gained him notoriety in the tabloid press.

But it was his 11 years on The Apprentice that many say solidified his reputation – and paved the way to his shock White House win of 2016 – and second attempt at the presidency this year.

In his Trump Tower office in 2012. Pic: AP
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In his Trump Tower office in 2012. Pic: AP

‘My jet’s going to be in every episode’

When NBC first had the idea for The Apprentice, Donald Trump was one of many moguls who would sit at the boardroom table – with others proposed to front future series.

But having negotiated a 50% stake in the show and the episodes being filmed in Trump Tower, potential successors were soon shelved – and Trump stayed at the helm for 14 seasons.

According to reports, filming for the first episode, “Meet The Billionaire”, overran by hours, and Trump would call the channel at 6am the day after each one aired to get the earliest viewing figures.

Seemingly laser-focused on how the show could promote his businesses, he reportedly told TV bosses at the time: “My jet’s going to be in every episode. Even if it doesn’t get the ratings, it’s still going to be great for my brand.”

Donald Trump and Mark Burnett during The Apprentice.
Pic: Trump Prod/Mark Burnett Prod/Kobal/Shutterstock
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WithMark Burnett on The Apprentice.
Pic: Trump Prod/Mark Burnett Prod/Kobal/Shutterstock

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Further episodes were entitled “Sex, Lies and Altitude” and “Ethics Schmethics”.

Meanwhile, his opening voiceover acknowledged his previous financial difficulties, claiming, “It wasn’t always easy,” and that “15 years ago I was seriously in trouble… billions of dollars in debt”.

But he then exclaimed: “I fought back and I won… bigly.

“I used my brain and my negotiating skills and I worked it all out. Now my company is the biggest and strongest it ever was. And I’m having more fun than I ever have.”

Pic :AP
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At an NBC event for The Apprentice in 2015. Pic: AP

During his time on the show, he battled bankruptcies, court cases, and personal scandal.

But with 20 million viewers in the first year alone, his ‘The Donald’ persona and ‘You’re fired’ catchphrase is what many Americans knew and remembered him for.

Fresh Prince and Sex And The City

After rebranding his father’s business empire the Trump Organization in 1971, he was often pictured with celebrities at parties and married Czech model and athlete Ivana Zelnickova in 1977.

With first wife Ivana. Pic:MediaPunch /AP
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With first wife Ivana. Pic:MediaPunch /AP

His longstanding feud with then New York mayor Ed Koch often played out in newspaper and magazine interviews – also helping ensure he stayed in the public eye.

Meanwhile, throughout the 1980s and 1990s he bought casinos, hotels, and golf courses – as well as an American football team, 282ft yacht, and the Miss Universe, Miss USA, and Miss Teen USA beauty pageants.

Donald Trump, the owner of the Miss Universe Organization, gives Miss California USA, Carrie Prejean, her sash during a news conference announcing that Prejean would retain her title in New York May 12, 2009. Prejean had been the recent subject of controversy regarding photographs from earlier in her modeling career and statements regarding marriage she made during the Miss USA pageant. BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE   REUTERS/Lucas Jackson (UNITED STATES ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS)
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With Miss California USA, Carrie Prejean, in 2009. Pic: AP

Donald Trump (C) poses with Miss Universe Beauty Queens (L-R) Flaviana Matata, Angela Martini, Rosanna Purcell, Susie Castillo, Shandi Finnessey, Amelia Vega, Dayanna Mendoza, Justine Pasek, Riyo Mori, Crystle Stewart, Zana Krasniqi, Marigona Dragusha, and Chloe Martaud during the pageant photoshoot in New York, July 27, 2011. REUTERS/Jamie Fine (UNITED STATES - Tags: ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS)
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With Miss Universe candidates in 2011. Pic: AP

During the 1990s, he also started making cameos on TV.

When the Home Alone sequel Lost In New York was released in 1992, both Trump and one of his biggest assets – Manhattan’s Plaza Hotel – were featured.

In 1994 he and his second wife, actress and TV presenter Marla Marples, played themselves in an episode of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air.

Marla Maples gets a kiss from Donald Trump at the stage door of the Palace Theater in New York following a performance of "Will Rogers Follies," Aug. 3, 1992. Maples, who plays the role of "Ziegfeld's Favorite" in the musical, took over the role in the Tony Award-winning show from Cady Huffman, who was nominated for a Tony for her part. (AP Photo/Mark Lennihan)
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With second wife Marla Maples in New York in 1992. Pic: AP

As prospective buyers of the family home, Will Smith’s on-screen cousin Carlton screams: “It’s The Donald, oh my god!” before fainting, before his sister Hilary says: “You look much richer in person.”

When he appeared in the sitcom The Nanny in 1996, his team is reported to have asked scriptwriters to change the reference to him from a millionaire to a billionaire.

He also made appearances in the film The Little Rascals and as a business contact of a rich older man trying to seduce Kim Cattrall’s character Samantha in Sex And The City.

Donald Trump and Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone 2.
Pic:20thCentFox/Everett/Shutterstock
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With Macaulay Culkin in Home Alone 2. Pic:20thCentFox/Everett/Shutterstock

Real estate magnate Donald Trump makes a sweeping gesture as he tapes a guest appearance for a Mothers Day episode on NBC's "Saturday Night Live," in New York, April 13, 1993.  
Pic: AP
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On Saturday Night Live in 1993. Pic: AP


Meanwhile, the Trump empire was suffering major financial difficulty.

The US recession of the early 1990s hit Trump’s businesses and he eventually accumulated $5bn (£3.8bn) in debt.

He was forced to sell his airline, yacht, and take out third mortgages on most of his properties, with many banks refusing to do business with him as a result.

Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs (R) accepts an award from the Rush Philanthropic Foundation for his efforts to support public education and dedication to youth and social activism,  from Donald Trump and his wife Melania (L) at Trump's Trumps Mar-A-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida on March 11, 2005.
Pic: Reuters
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With P Diddy and wife Melania in Florida in 2005. Pic: Reuters

In the 1990s and 2000s, Trump filed for bankruptcy six times.

Deutsche Bank came to his rescue, however, when they entered the US market in the early 2000s offering him millions in credit to fund Trump Tower among other projects.

Away from business, in 2005, Trump married his third wife, Melania.

Trump's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. Pic: AP
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Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007. Pic: AP

Dropped by Apprentice over Mexico claims

Trump had flirted with politics from 2000, running as a candidate for the fringe Reform Party in the California and Michigan primaries.

That year, he also published a book called The America We Deserve, in which he expressed a series of conservative political views.

Over the next decade, he registered as both a Republican and a Democrat.

Real estate developer and Reform Party presidential hopeful Donald Trump sits with model Melania Knauss before the Miami Heat-Washington Wizards game  in 1999
Pic: Miami Herald/AP
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With wife Melania during his Reform Party days in 1999. Pic: Miami Herald/AP

He made moves towards another presidential bid, this time as a Republican, in 2011, but ultimately declared he wouldn’t run.

Despite his failure to progress, he received widespread attention for promoting ‘birtherism’ – a conspiracy theory that President Barack Obama was not born in the US.

The start of Trump’s political career marked the end of his time on The Apprentice.

In June 2015, NBC dropped him from the show over comments during his campaign launch speech about US Mexican immigrants being “rapists” and “bringing drugs”.

It was during this speech that he first vowed to “Make America Great Again”, having declared the American Dream “dead”.

Wearing a MAGA hat in March 2016 in Arizona. Pic: AP
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Wearing a MAGA hat in March 2016 in Arizona. Pic: AP

His campaign was overseen by the right-wing media figure Steve Bannon, who he appointed chief executive in mid-2016. In rally speeches, he made promises to “build a wall” along the US-Mexico border and throw his Democrat opponent Hillary Clinton in prison over claims she was “crooked”.

He trailed in the opinion polls and an audio clip from 2005 appeared to reveal him bragging about sexually assaulting women.

But despite many failing to take him seriously, the race narrowed and Clinton suffered a shock defeat, paving the way for a Trump White House in January 2017.

Hillary Clinton gives her concession speech in New York after losing the 2016 election. Pic: Reuters
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Hillary Clinton gives her concession speech in New York after losing the 2016 election. Pic: Reuters

Twitter president

Trump continued causing controversy when he entered the Oval Office.

He often bypassed official communication channels, preferring to make formal policy announcements on Twitter instead.

With wife Melania and daughter Tiffany at his 2017 inauguration. Pic: AP
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With wife Melania and daughter Tiffany at his 2017 inauguration. Pic: AP

Domestically, he made moves to dismantle Obamacare, and shifted the political makeup of the Supreme Court by nominating three conservative justices, which has since led to the overturning of constitutional abortion rights through Roe v Wade.

He quickly imposed what was dubbed a ‘Muslim ban’, temporarily stopping immigration from seven Muslim-majority countries.

Abroad, he withdrew the US from the Paris Climate Agreement and fundamentally changed trade relations with China and other key states.

He was praised for spearheading the Abraham Accords, which normalised relations between Israel, the UAE, and Bahrain, and many hoped would help move closer to peace for Israel-Palestine.

Despite declaring he had “made peace in the Middle East”, however, he also withdrew the US from the Iran nuclear deal.

With the leaders from Israel (left), UAE (second right), and Morocco (right) at the White House in 2020. Pic: Reuters
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With the leaders from Israel (left), UAE (second right), and Morocco (right) at the White House in 2020. Pic: Reuters

Meanwhile, his 2016 election campaign was investigated for alleged Russian interference. More than 30 people were charged, with his former attorney Michael Cohen among those sent to prison. Trump himself was never indicted and the special counsel probe failed to show any criminal collusion.

He was impeached twice – the first time in 2019 after an inquiry found he asked Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to dig up dirt on his 2020 election rival Joe Biden – and the second time over the 6 January insurrection.

His handling of the coronavirus pandemic was widely criticised – but supported by libertarians, mask and vaccine sceptics.

On the White House balcony in October 20210. Pic: AP
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On the White House balcony in October 2020. Pic: AP

Despite contracting the virus in October 2020, he repeatedly referred to it as the “China virus” and made false claims that bleach could cure it.

At the November election, Trump got 74 million votes – more than any other sitting president in history – but lost by seven million overall.

Insurrection, impeachments and indictments

Trump immediately disputed the 2020 election result, claiming widespread electoral fraud in multiple states.

His “stop the steal” campaign culminated in a “Save America” rally at Washington DC’s National Mall on 6 January 2021.

Ahead of the formal verification of votes by the Electoral College, Trump urged supporters to “fight like hell”, vowing “we will never concede” and “we are going to the Capitol”.

Donald Trump supporters at his Save America rally on 6 January 2021. Pic: Reuters
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Trump supporters at his Save America rally on 6 January 2021. Pic: Reuters

When the rally ended, a mob descended on the Capitol, breaking into buildings, making death threats, and causing damage.

Six people died as a result, Trump was impeached for a second time, and he faced both criminal and civil lawsuits.

Trump supporters scale the wall of the Capitol Building in Washington DC on 6 January 2021. Pic: Reuters
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Trump supporters scale the wall of the Capitol Building in Washington DC on 6 January 2021. Pic: Reuters

The aftermath saw Trump largely abandoned by the Republican Party.

He refused to attend his successor’s inauguration and was banned by nearly all mainstream social media platforms, leading him to set up his own – Truth Social – in 2022.

Momentum began to build against him legally – and he faced criminal cases for alleged electoral fraud in Georgia, the removal of classified documents in Florida, and ‘hush money’ over an affair with former adult film star Stormy Daniels in New York.

Adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2005. Pic: AP
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Adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2005. Pic: AP

The Florida case was thrown out but he became the first US president in history to be convicted when he was found guilty in the hush money case. He is yet to be sentenced.

Separately, he lost two civil lawsuits in New York – one for sexually assaulting and defaming the writer E Jean Caroll and a second for overvaluing his business assets to secure bank loans. The fines for both totalled almost £350m.

Mugshot from the Fulton County Sherriff's Office in Georgia. Pic: AP/Fulton County Sherriff
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Mugshot from the Fulton County Sherriff’s Office in Georgia. Pic: AP/Fulton County Sherriff

Comeback

After the insurrection, Republican donors, congressmen and women effectively disowned Trump and he was blamed for the party’s results in the 2022 midterm elections.

But he remained popular with the grassroots, and had a more direct line to them when Elon Musk took over Twitter, reinstating Trump’s account.

Trump used the criminal cases against him to fuel his anti-establishment image and amid poor approval ratings for Joe Biden and a lack of another clear candidate, he re-emerged as a serious contender for the Republican nomination.

An emotional Joe Biden delivers a speech to the 2024 Democratic National Convention Pic: AP
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Joe Biden at the 2024 Democratic National Convention Pic: AP

Donald Trump.
Pic: AP
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Raising a fist as security agents try to shield him in Pennsylvania. Pic: AP

At the same time, Mr Biden’s age and mental capacity came increasingly into question.

And after confusing Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy with Russia’s Vladimir Putin – and a disastrous TV debate, during which Trump said “I don’t think he knows what he said”, he was forced to pull out of the 2024 race.

Trump’s narrow escape from an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally emboldened him and his supporters further.

RNC delegates wear fake ear bandages in support of Donald Trump
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Republican supporters wear solidarity ear bandages for Trump at the party convention. Pic: AP

His defiant raised fist and ear injury became symbols of the subsequent Republican Convention, where he formally accepted the party’s nomination and his most loyal followers sported solidarity ear bandages.

He now faces Kamala Harris for the presidency and a second shot at the White House on 5 November.

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Benjamin Netanyahu nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize – as Gaza ceasefire talks continue

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Benjamin Netanyahu nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize - as Gaza ceasefire talks continue

Israel’s prime minister has nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

Benjamin Netanyahu made the announcement at a White House dinner, handing over the letter for the US president to read.

“Coming from you in particular, this is very meaningful,” Mr Trump said.

The Israeli leader said Mr Trump was “forging peace as we speak, and one country and one region after the other”.

Organisers award the prize to the person who does the most for “fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of peace congresses”.

Benjamin Netanyahu showed President Trump the Nobel nomination letter. Pic: AP
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Benjamin Netanyahu handed Donald Trump the Nobel nomination letter. Pic: AP

Mr Trump took credit for stopping Iran and Israel‘s “12-day war” last month, announcing it with fanfare on Truth Social, and the ceasefire has so far held.

The president has claimed US strikes obliterated Iran’s purported nuclear weapons programme – and that the country now wants to restart negotiations.

“We have scheduled Iran talks, and they want to,” Mr Trump told reporters on Monday. “They want to talk.”

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Iran hasn’t confirmed the move, but its president told US broadcaster Tucker Carlson he believes his country can resolve differences with the US through dialogue.

Masoud Pezeshkian also said Iran would be willing to resume cooperation with the UN nuclear watchdog.

However, he said full access to nuclear sites wasn’t yet possible as US strikes had damaged them so badly.

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Netanyahu arrives in US for ceasefire talks

Away from Iran, fighting continues in Gaza and Ukraine.

Mr Trump famously boasted before his second stint in the White House that he could end the Ukraine war in 24 hours.

The reality has been very different – with Ukraine saying last week that Russia unleashed the heaviest aerial attack of the war so far.

Critics have also claimed Vladimir Putin is “playing” his US counterpart and that he has no intention of agreeing a ceasefire.

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Russia bombards Ukraine with drones and missiles

However, Mr Trump could try to take credit for progress in Gaza if – as he’s suggested – an agreement on a 60-day ceasefire is done this week.

Indirect negotiations with Hamas are taking place that could lead to the release of some of the remaining 50 Israeli hostages and a surge in aid to Gaza.

The White House said Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is travelling to Qatar this week to try to seal the agreement.

Read more:
Israeli soldier describes arbitrary killing of civilians in Gaza

IDF troops ‘psychologically broken’ after Gaza – UN expert

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‘Some Israeli commanders can decide to do war crimes’

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Whether a temporary pause could open a path to a lasting peace remains uncertain, with the two sides’ criteria for peace still far apart.

Mr Netanyahu has said Hamas must surrender, disarm and leave Gaza – something it refuses to do.

He also told reporters on Monday that the US and Israel were working with other countries who would give Palestinians “a better future” – and indicated those in Gaza could move elsewhere.

“If people want to stay, they can stay, but if they want to leave, they should be able to leave,” he added.

“We’ve had great cooperation from… surrounding countries, great cooperation from every single one of them. So something good will happen,” Mr Trump said.

The president was widely criticised earlier this year when he suggested resettling Gaza’s population to countries such as Jordan and Egypt and turning it into the “Riviera of the Middle East”.

Human rights groups said the plan amounted to ethnic cleansing and most Gazans said they would never consider leaving.

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Texas floods: At least 104 killed – as new images show scale of the destruction

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Texas floods: At least 104 killed - as new images show scale of the destruction

At least 104 people have died in the flash floods that have left a trail of destruction across Texas.

Kerr County Sheriff’s Office said the number of bodies found in the area had risen from 75 to 84 – including 56 adults and 28 children.

The have been seven fatalities in Travis County, six in Kendall County, four in Burnet County, two in Williamson County and one in Tom Green County.

Earlier, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt warned that “the situation on the ground remains dangerous” and that there “could be additional public safety threats with additional incoming heavy rain”.

Latest updates – Texas floods

A view inside a cabin at Camp Mystic after the flooding. Pic: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images
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A view inside a cabin at Camp Mystic after the flooding. Pic: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

The floods that first struck on Friday have wreaked havoc and left people in a state of grief – with 27 of the confirmed deaths having taken place at a girls’ summer camp in Kerr County.

Among those killed at Camp Mystic were Renee Smajstrla and Sarah Marsh, both eight, Eloise Peck and Lila Bonner, both nine, and the camp’s director Richard Eastland.

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A photo has now emerged showing the inside of the camp on Saturday after the waters hit.

At least 41 people are still missing in the state – including 10 girls from Camp Mystic.

Renee Smajstrla, 8, died in the flash floods at Camp Mystic, Texas. Pic: Family handout
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Renee Smajstrla, eight, died in the flash floods at Camp Mystic, Texas. Pic: Family handout

Sarah Marsh, 8, died in the flash floods at Camp Mystic, Texas. Pic: Family handout
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Sarah Marsh, eight, died in the flash floods at Camp Mystic, Texas. Pic: Family handout

In her news conference, Ms Leavitt criticised people who have claimed the Trump administration’s cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS) have played a role in the worsening the disaster.

It comes after Texas officials criticised the NWS by claiming it failed to warn the public about the impending danger.

Meanwhile, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer asked the Department of Commerce’s acting inspector general on Monday to probe whether staffing vacancies at the NWS’s San Antonio office contributed to “delays, gaps, or diminished accuracy” in forecasting the flooding.

The NWS did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Mr Schumer’s letter, but earlier defended its forecasting and emergency management.

Flooding near Kerville, Texas. Pic: US Coast Guard/AP
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Flooding near Kerville, Texas. Pic: US Coast Guard/AP

Ms Leavitt has told reporters that claims Mr Trump was responsible for any issues related to the flash floods response were “depraved and despicable”.

“It is not [a political game], it is a national tragedy,” she said.

The press secretary also claimed, in relation to some NWS offices being reportedly understaffed, that one place actually had “too many people”.

“Any person who has deliberately lied about the facts around the catastrophic event, you should be deeply ashamed,” she said.

Rescuers at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River in Texas after a flash flood swept through the area. Pic: AP
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Rescuers at Camp Mystic along the Guadalupe River in Texas after a flash flood swept through the area. Pic: AP

Members from Texas Game Wardens of the Law Enforcement Division works following flash flooding, in Kerrville, Texas.
Pic: Reuters
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Members from Texas Game Wardens of the Law Enforcement Division works following flash flooding, in Kerrville, Texas. Pic: Reuters

She also said that Mr Trump was going to visit Texas “later in the week”.

Previously, Mr Trump said it was likely he would visit on Friday.

Car is wedged in the ground following deadly floods in Texas
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Car is wedged in the ground following deadly floods in Texas

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks with reporters in the James Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House, Monday, July 7, 2025, in Washington.
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Karoline Leavitt in the press briefing room

Texas Senator Ted Cruz spoke at a news conference and said: “Texas is grieving right now, the pain, the shock of what has transpired these last few days has broken the heart of our state.

“Those numbers [the number of dead] are continuing to go up… that’s every parent’s nightmare, every mum and dad.”

A view inside a cabin at Camp Mystic after the flooding. Pic: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images
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A view inside a cabin at Camp Mystic after the flooding. Pic: Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images

Damaged vehicles and debris are seen roped off near the banks of the Guadalupe River after flooding in Ingram, Texas. Pic: AP
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Damaged vehicles and debris are seen roped off near the banks of the Guadalupe River after flooding in Ingram, Texas. Pic: AP

He said he had picked up his own daughter from a camp in the area last week.

Mr Cruz added: “You know what I’d do? What I did when this happened? Just go hug your kids.

“Because I’ve got to tell you, I hugged my girls with tears in my eyes.”

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Texas flooding: Aerial footage of rescues

Dalton Rice, the city manager of Kerrville in Kerr County, was asked whether evacuation warnings could have been issued earlier.

He said: “It’s very tough to make those calls because we also don’t want to cry wolf.

“You know, we want to make sure that we activated [it] at the right time.”

He added: “We had first responders getting swept away, responding to the first areas of rainfall. That’s how quick it happened.

“They were driving to these areas and one of them got swept off the road.”

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The ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ detention centre was built in eight days – but problems are emerging

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The 'Alligator Alcatraz' detention centre was built in eight days - but problems are emerging

Videos and satellite imagery show how quickly Donald Trump’s detention centre in Florida has been constructed – as experts suggest the design of the site is flawed and will compromise the safety of people being held there.

Sky News’ Data and Forensics team has verified footage posted on social media that shows water covering the ground near electricity cables during a storm as the first detainees were due to arrive.

The Florida Division of Emergency Management (FDEM), run by Governor Ron DeSantis, posted on X that detainees were at the site on 3 July just before 1pm local time (6pm UK time).

Donald Trump held a tour of the facility on 1 July that took journalists around “Alligator Alcatraz”. Its name is a reference to both the local reptile population and the former maximum-security Alcatraz Federal Penitentiary in San Francisco Bay, California.

The tour showed the rapid construction of the centre, designed to accommodate up to 3,000 detainees. The purpose of the site is to house individuals detained by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

James Uthmeier, Florida’s attorney general, posted on X: “And in just a week, Alligator Alcatraz was built.”

Political commentator Benny Johnson, who was on the tour, praised the eight-day turnaround. “I don’t think anyone realises how impressive Alligator Alcatraz is,” he said.

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Amid those positive comments, videos emerged highlighting flooding in the centre, with electricity cables covered with water on the day of the tour.

The flooding was said to have been caused by a small storm. However, the state department claims the structures and tents can withstand category two hurricanes, reaching 110mph winds.

FDEM spokesperson Stephanie Hartman wrote in a statement that “vendors had tightened any seams at the base of the structures that allowed water to come in during the storm”. She described the water intrusion as minimal.

The speed of the site development.

Steff Gaulter, a Sky News meteorologist, said: “In the last 10 years, we’ve seen 13 hurricanes that have hit Florida. Seven of them have been category three or higher.

“As well as needing to know how strong these storms are as they come, it’s also very unpredictable, their track can change at the last minute.”

The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) and the Structural Engineering Institute (SEI) have said structures in risk category two – which Alligator Alcatraz falls under – need to withstand 121mph wind gusts.

If the housing tents exceed 300 occupants per tent, the guidelines go up to 167mph.

Ms Gaulter explained: “You don’t necessarily need a hurricane in order to see a gust of wind over 100mph. In the lowest category of hurricane, category one, the range of winds would be between 74mph and 95mph. But even in that category, you can easily get a gust of wind up to 120mph.”

Dr Patrick McSharry, Professor at Carnegie Mellon University and former head of catastrophe risk financing at Oxford University, told Sky News that in a hurricane “there’s no way that a tent is going to be in any way something that you would advise someone to be in”.

“It’s more the case of having a plan in place that can be mobilised really fast to get people out of that dangerous situation.”

The site is also located in a hurricane-prone region as defined by ASCE.

Discussing building regulations, Dr McSharry said: “We’re dealing here potentially with human lives so it’s an even more sensitive calculation I think that needs to be made.”

The blue pin marks Alligator Alcatraz. The key shows average wind speeds. Credit: ASCE.
Image:
The blue pin marks Alligator Alcatraz. The key shows average wind speeds. Credit: ASCE.

Sky News put these concerns to Ron DeSantis and the Florida state department, but did not receive responses.

White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told Sky News: “Alligator Alcatraz is a state-of-the-art facility that will play a critical role in fulfilling the president’s promise to get the worst criminal illegal aliens out of America as fast as possible.

“President Trump is grateful to partner with [Homeland] Secretary [Kristi] Noem and Ron DeSantis on this important project.”

Satellite imagery obtained by Sky News shows the rapid construction of the centre, which was formerly Dade-Collier Training Airport.

Five days after the centre was announced by Florida’s attorney general James Uthmeier, more than 60 new trailers can be seen on the right-hand side of the runway.

Satellite imagery obtained by Sky News also shows that from 24 June to the opening date on 1 July, more than seven large housing tents were put up at the site.

Satellite imagery showing the site on 24 June. Credit: Maxar
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Satellite imagery showing the site on 24 June. Credit: Maxar

An aerial photo of the site on 1 July. Credit: AP
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An aerial photo of the site on 1 July. Credit: AP

The site is reportedly set to open with 3,000 beds, expanding to 5,000 by early July.  

It is also reported that the site will cost an estimated $450m (£330m) per year to operate, with a bed costing $245 (£180) per day.

The bill is reported to be covered by the state of Florida, which plans to get money back from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Tessa Petit, director of the Florida Immigrant Coalition, told Sky News: “It was constructed too [quickly]. This is a sign that we’re seeing a disaster [waiting to] happen as we look at it.

“Usual detention centres come up with, you know, their bricks and mortar, right? This is not bricks and mortar. This is just tents and mobile homes that are assembled on an airstrip.”

“There’s a detention of immigrants in a place that has been in the past ravaged by hurricanes and we’re getting into hurricane season,” Ms Petit added.

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She is concerned that medical support and sanitary provisions, like a sewage system, will not have been properly installed.

“You can’t build a sewage system that can sustain 3,000 people in eight days. You can’t dig in the Everglades. So, what are going be the additional sanitary conditions?” she said.

There are also sustainability concerns about the site.

The Centre for Biological Diversity has filed a lawsuit in US District Court to protect the Florida Everglades. They state it is “a reckless plan to build a massive detention centre for people caught in immigration raids”.

Tania Galloni, an attorney working with the Centre for Biological Diversity, stated the proposed plan “has not undergone the environmental review required by federal law, and the public has had no chance to provide feedback”.


The Data and Forensics team is a multi-skilled unit dedicated to providing transparent journalism from Sky News. We gather, analyse and visualise data to tell data-driven stories. We combine traditional reporting skills with advanced analysis of satellite images, social media and other open source information. Through multimedia storytelling we aim to better explain the world while also showing how our journalism is done.

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