Photos: Trump hugs children, serves food in Houston as city fights back

Trump asked Congress late on Friday for an initial $7.85 billion for hurricane recovery efforts

US President Donald Trump tried on the role of “comforter-in-chief” on Saturday, playing with children in an evacuation centre and passing out food and supplies to those in need after Hurricane Harvey’s assault on Houston.

Trump, dealing with the first natural disaster of his 8-month-old presidency, comforted victims and thanked volunteers and first responders after being criticized earlier in the week for not showing sufficient empathy on his first trip to the storm-battered Texas coast.

Screenshot: Twitter ( @realDonaldTrump)

Trump, 71, was joined by his wife, Melania,