Colbert wrongly claims Trump ‘didn’t meet a single storm victim’ during Texas visits

CBS “Late Night” host Stephen Colbert incorrectly claimed during his Tuesday opening monologue that President Trump “didn’t meet a single storm victim” during his two visits to flood-ravaged Texas.

Colbert, who had just returned from a two-week vacation, was quoting an Aug. 29 story from Politico that read, “It was a presidential trip to a deluged state where the president didn’t meet a single storm victim, see an inch of rain or get near a flooded street.” 

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The audience responded by loudly booing. 

“He’s been closer to a flood in a Russian hotel room,” the former Daily Show host added. 

The report Colbert cited was in reference to the first of two visits made by Trump to flood-ravaged Texas in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.

At the time, the Trump administration said the president did not want to get in the way of rescue and recovery efforts in Houston, the country’s fourth most populated city. 

The president visited Corpus Christi on Aug. 29 first instead, before going to Houston four days later after the storm finally moved away, leaving more than 50 inches of rain in some areas while causing catastrophic flooding and damage.

During the second visit, Trump was filmed consoling storm victims at a Houston shelter and assisting with loading storm relief supplies.

“Touring the facility with television cameras in tow, Mr. Trump sympathized with residents, posed for selfies and hoisted one young girl in ponytails in his arms,” a New York Times Sept. 2 story reads. 

“There’s a lot of love. As tough as it’s been, it’s been a wonderful thing to watch,” Trump said to reporters before walking over to a room to distribute cardboard boxes with food to flood victims. “I’m going to do a little bit of help over here.”

Colbert has surged to the top of the late-night ratings race after Trump took office in January, with his nightly monologues largely focused on hammering the president and administration officials.