NewsNation host Chris Cuomo isn’t exactly a fan of President Donald Trump, but even he drew the line Tuesday night when Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy tried to pin the deadly Texas floods on Trump’s weather staffing cuts.

Cuomo ripped Murphy for suggesting on X that Trump’s supposed “brainless attacks on public workers, like meteorologists” were responsible for the catastrophic flooding that killed more than 100 people, including at least 24 children. Murphy had claimed that “accurate weather forecasting helps avoid fatal disasters” and linked Trump’s budget cuts to the tragedy, but Cuomo called out the senator for using dead children to score cheap political points.

“You really think that’s what your constituents want? For you to take a cheap shot at dead kids to score points against Trump? Wow,” Cuomo said on “CUOMO.” “Shut up, Murphy! We have to see that the interests of the many are being held hostage by the obsessions of the few on both sides. They are killing us.”

Cuomo acknowledged that while Trump’s cuts to the National Weather Service (NWS) have been controversial, the facts didn’t support Murphy’s narrative. The NWS union itself stated there was adequate staffing in Texas during the storms, and meteorologists began escalating flood warnings 12 hours before the worst flooding began.

“Guess what? The union for the National Weather Service—and they’ve been critical of Trump’s cuts, and I’m not saying there’s not reason for criticism—but it’s about perspective,” Cuomo noted. “They’re noting that they began to escalate the flood warnings as much as 12 hours in advance of the floods.”

Cuomo’s takedown came as the left tried to spin the Texas floods into a narrative about Trump, despite weather experts debunking claims of insufficient warning systems. ABC’s George Stephanopoulos reported supposed “staffing shortfalls,” but meteorologist Dr. Ryan Maue called this “grotesque misinformation,” pointing out that NWS Texas offices had “extra staff on duty and did their jobs admirably.”

Jason Runyen, an NWS meteorologist in Texas, told the Associated Press that offices had additional employees working during the storms, saying, “There were extra people in here that night, and that’s typical in every weather service office—you staff up for an event and bring people in on overtime and hold people over.”

The floods, which followed historic rainfall that caused rivers to rise rapidly, overwhelmed parts of Central Texas, destroying homes, sweeping away vehicles, and leaving communities devastated. Local officials noted that while early warnings saved many lives, the sheer speed of the flooding made it impossible to reach everyone in time.

Murphy’s remarks are part of a broader Democrat strategy to blame Trump for natural disasters while ignoring local preparedness failures. Some Texas officials, under scrutiny for slow evacuation orders for river camps and communities, have pointed to residents’ reluctance to leave and the unexpected intensity of the flooding rather than federal cuts.

Meanwhile, Trump’s administration remains focused on disaster recovery while refusing to be baited into political fights over the weather. FEMA and state agencies have been deployed for rescue and recovery efforts, while Trump has vowed to support Texas fully in rebuilding after the disaster.

Cuomo’s rare break with Democrat talking points underscores how partisan attacks can backfire when Americans demand accountability and solutions rather than political theater. Even a left-leaning host like Cuomo knows that using the deaths of children to blame a political rival crosses a line.

The Texas flood tragedy should be a moment for national unity and a focus on practical improvements in emergency response, not another opportunity for grandstanding. If Democrats want to criticize Trump’s policies, they might find a better avenue than exploiting the deaths of American children.

Cuomo’s message to Murphy—and to Democrats trying to spin tragedies for political gain—is clear: “Shut up.”