HOUSTON — HOUSTON (AP) - President Donald Trump cupped a boy's face in his hands and then gave him a high-five. He lifted a girl into his arms to give her a kiss. He snapped on latex gloves to hand out boxed lunches of hot dogs and potato chips.
On his visit to a shelter for storm victims Saturday, the president declared he sees "a lot of love" in the wake of devastation left by Harvey.
"We saw a lot of happiness," he told reporters after he and first lady Melania Trump greeted children in the kids' zone in NRG Center, an emergency refuge for people who were forced out of their homes. "As tough as this was, it's been a wonderful thing."
It was his second trip to Texas in a week, and this time his first order of business was to meet with those affected by the record-setting rainfall and flooding. He's also set to survey some of the damage and head to Lake Charles, Louisiana, another hard-hit area.
That interaction was missing from Tuesday's trip to Texas, which was criticized as being off-key for a presidential visit to discuss communities in crisis.
In Corpus Christi and Austin, Trump sat with emergency responders and officials who were coordinating recovery efforts with his administration. The event was marked by Trump's impromptu speech to supporters outside a Corpus Christi firehouse - "What a crowd, what a turnout," he said - instead of images of the president consoling victims or walking among the damage caused by the storm.
Trump at that time kept his distance from the epicenter of the damage, in Houston, to avoid disrupting recovery operations. Still, critics said he failed to adequately express compassion for the families of those killed in the storm's path or those whose homes were flooded. He raised eyebrows when he predicted his approach would be a model for future presidents to emulate.
"We want to do it better than ever before," he said. "We want to be looked at in five years, in 10 years from now as, 'This is the way to do it.'"
"There was a lot of high-fiving about how well this disaster was being handled even as people were on their rooftops hoping to be rescued," said David Axelrod, a top adviser to President Barack Obama. "People need to know that their president is emotionally engaged in their struggle, and part of the obligation or the responsibility of a president, particularly in a media age, is to make that human connection."
Trump later voiced more direct concern for those caught up in the storm. At the start of a speech in Missouri on Wednesday, he said the nation was praying for those in Harvey's path and "we are here with you every single step of the way."
The president reiterated that support in a tweet as he rode to the NRG Center in Houston on Saturday. At the site, he called the federal, state and local response to the disaster "fantastic."
"I think people appreciate what's been done," he said. "It's been done very efficiently, very well. And that's what we want."
More than 17,000 people have sought refuge in Texas shelters, the American Red Cross said earlier this week. NRG Center opened Tuesday, one of a few mega-shelters housing hundreds of displaced people.
Joining Trump on Saturday are four Cabinet secretaries and other administration officials, including Brock Long, the administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Trump may take cues from Vice President Mike Pence, who went to a damaged church, cleared away tree limbs and debris, and hugged storm victims during a visit to Texas this past week.
"All American hearts are with the people of Texas and Louisiana," Trump said in his weekly radio address aired Saturday. He described "a spirit of love, determination and resolve" that he said he sensed during the Tuesday visit.
On Friday, Trump met with evangelical leaders to promote his proclamation of Sunday as a national day of prayer for those affected by the storm, along with relief organizations heavily involved in the recovery.
"I'm confident that this will be an opportunity for the president, on behalf of the entire nation, to show compassion and empathy for those who have lost homes and have had their lives interrupted and in some cases have lost loved ones," said Ralph Reed, the founder of the Faith & Freedom Coalition. He was among the evangelical leaders who met with the president.
Trump has sent lawmakers an initial request for a $7.9 billion down payment toward Harvey relief and recovery efforts - a request expected to be swiftly approved by Congress, which returns to work Tuesday after its summer break.
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Latest on President Donald Trump and Harvey (all times local):
3:10 p.m.
The president and first lady are loading up cars and trucks with Harvey relief supplies at a church in suburban Houston.
President Donald Trump told drivers outside the First Church in Pearland, "Take care of yourself." Drivers, in turn, thanked Trump and said they are praying for him.
Melania Trump is joining him in loading supplies provided by Feed the Children and Red Cross, including pallets of water bottles.
Trump remarked to a volunteer coordinator, "I like doing this," and noted to his wife, "This is good exercise."
He also praised a person in a Red Cross vest saying, "fantastic job, great group."
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3 p.m.
President Donald Trump is marveling at the disappearing water in Houston and congratulating the Texas governor on the response to Harvey.
Trump is speaking at First Church in Pearland, where volunteers are handing out relief supplies such as food and hygiene products.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Texas Sen. Ted
and four Cabinet secretaries joined Trump on stage as the president made a few remarks.
Trump said: "You got a lot of hard working people, I'll tell you that." He called the coordination between federal, state and local officials "terrific."
He went on to say: "I don't know if it gets better, but we're going to try to make it better."
He also repeatedly praised Abbott as "great," noting that he was doing so well while "cameras are blazing."
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1:50 p.m.
President Donald Trump is helping serve lunch at a Houston shelter for people displaced by Harvey.
Wearing plastic gloves and a wide smile, Trump is standing next to first lady Melania Trump and handing out hot dogs in white containers with the Red Cross logo.
As he briefly served lunches, Trump shook hands and posed for photos. He was heard asking one man about his military service.
The Trumps are on their second visit to Texas to survey damage from the hurricane. They're also due to visit Lake Charles later Saturday.
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1:45 p.m.
President Donald Trump says he is seeing "a lot of love" and "a lot of happiness" as he visits Harvey victims.
He spoke briefly with reporters before serving food at NRG Center, one of Houston's designated emergency refuge areas. The American Red Cross said this week that more than 17,000 people have sought refuge in Texas shelters.
Trump also visited with children at the center and says "They're doing great."
Trump noted "fantastic" cooperation between federal, state and local officials responding to the storm and flooding that caused widespread displacement and destruction. He said of the damage, "There's a lot of water, but it's moving out."
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1:30 p.m.
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are meeting with Harvey survivors who are living in a shelter.
The Trumps walked through NRG Center in Houston, spending time in an area of the shelter designated for children. They are posing for photographs and shaking hands as they listen to people's stories.
Trump at one point leaned down and cupped a little boy's face while they spoke and then gave him a high five. He lifted a girl up and gave her a kiss.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott accompanied them. Abbott and Trump stopped at a table piled high with toys and books to speak with a family.
National Guard troops at the center shouted to Trump, "we're proud of you" and "you're doing a fantastic job."
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1:05 p.m.
Melania Trump will not be shamed into sneakers.
On her second visit to storm-ravaged Texas, the first lady again boarded Air Force One in Washington wearing high heels and only changed to more casual attire on the plane.
Trump's decision came after her fashion choices caused a stir earlier this week. On her visit to Texas on Tuesday, she donned stilettos as she left the White House. Some commentators criticized the choice as off-key for a trip designed to show support for people who've lost everything in the devastating storm.
In both cases, Trump changed into more practical clothing on the plane.
On Saturday, she emerged from the plane wearing green jeans and sneakers, and sporting a baseball cap reading "Texas." Earlier in the week, her hat read "Flotus," or First Lady of the United States.
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12:25 p.m.
President Donald Trump has arrived in Houston on his second trip to storm-ravaged Texas in the past week.
Trump and first lady Melania Trump are being greeted at Ellington Field, a military reserve base in the southeast part of the city, by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott. Four Cabinet members including Education Secretary Betsy DeVos are joining the president on this trip.
The president will soon meet with Harvey victims at the air field before heading to a relief center.
Trump did not interact with victims on his trip Tuesday to Corpus Christi and Austin. Later Saturday, the president heads to Louisiana.
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11 a.m.
President Donald Trump is heading to Texas and Louisiana to a second trip to the storm-ravaged region in the past week.
He left aboard Air Force One
a military base in Maryland along with first lady Melania Trump and he tweeted: "We will see you soon. America is with you!"
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8:20 a.m.
President Donald Trump says Harvey "has profoundly affected our entire nation" and he's praising what he calls "heroic efforts" in the wake of the devastating storm.
Trump is carrying a message to victims as he prepares for his trip Saturday to Houston and Lake Charles, Louisiana.
As he says in his weekly radio address: "We are with you every single step of the way. We will help you recover. We will help you rebuild. We will support you today, tomorrow, and the day after."
Trump was in Texas earlier in the week, too, and he says he saw "a spirit of love, determination and resolve. A spirit, that even when wounded, never gives up, never gives in, never loses hope."
He says storm victims face " a long and difficult path" ahead, but he says that "we are stronger than the obstacles in our path."
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3:10 a.m.
When President Donald Trump made his first visit to Texas after Harvey, he brought plenty of optimism and swagger.
And when he makes a second trip later Saturday, he'll get a chance to return with empathy.
Trump is set to stop in Houston and Lake Charles, Louisiana, to survey the damage.
The White House says he'll have time to talk to residents still recovering from the devastation. He's also expected to meet with volunteers.
Those elements were missing from his first visit to the region on Tuesday. He was criticized as being off-key for a presidential trip to discuss communities in crisis.
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Thomas reported from Washington. Associated Press writer Julie Bykowicz in Washington contributed to this report.
Associated Press
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