Trump sparks new backlash after threatening Puerto Rico aid
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/10/12/trump-puerto-rico-response-long-term-243705
President Donald Trump dove headlong back into the controversy over his administration’s handling of the crisis in Puerto Rico on Thursday, suggesting that U.S. citizens on the hurricane-ravaged island shouldn’t get used to assistance from the federal government — a statement that sparked new outrage from critics.
“Electric and all infrastructure was disaster before hurricanes,” Trump wrote on Twitter in a series of posts. “Congress to decide how much to spend. We cannot keep FEMA, the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!”
Trump has come under fire for appearing to blame Puerto Rico for neglecting its infrastructure and financial health in recent years, while sparring with local officials and initially giving the U.S. territory less attention than hurricane victims from Texas and Florida.
The tweets on Thursday — which landed as nearly 90 percent of the island was still without power and nearly 40 percent lack access to clean drinking water — particularly touched a nerve.
“It is not that you do not get it; you are incapable of fulfilling the moral imperative to help the people of PR. Shame on you.![sic]” Carmen Yulín Cruz, the mayor of San Juan, wrote on Twitter. She has been a target of severe criticism from Trump in recent weeks, who dismissed her and other critics as “politically motivated ingrates.”
Puerto Rico’s governor, Ricardo Rossello, sought a less fiery path, writing on Twitter: “The U.S. citizens in Puerto Rico are requesting the support that any of our fellow citizens would receive across our Nation.”
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calf.) said at a press conference that Trump’s broadside “is heartbreaking and it lacks knowledge.”
Other Trump administration officials struck a different tone than the president on Thursday.
“I have no intention of abandoning Puerto Rico,” Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson told a congressional committee. “They are a very important part of who we are.”
Trump’s morning warning came after White House officials have also stressed for weeks their intention to work with Puerto Rico throughout the recovery process.
Puerto Rico has struggled with the devastation from a particularly heavy hurricane season, one that included a direct hit from Hurricane Maria late last month that devastated large swaths of the island. The official death toll from the storm has risen to 45, CNN reported Wednesday, and at least 113 people are unaccounted for.
Reports of desperation are piling up, including from federal government officials. The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday warned Puerto Rican residents against breaking into industrial waste sites in search of drinking water. And the New York Times reported that medical care remains a challenge on the island, with just 43 of the island's 72 open hospitals currently operating with power.
Still, Trump has asserted his administration’s handling of the storm to be a great success, and has rejected any criticism of the effort as “fake news.”
Even as the president has continued to rail against the territory, Congress is moving forward on hurricane relief funds, which the White House has also advocated for.
On Thursday afternoon, the House is poised to approve a $36 billion aid package intended largely for Puerto Rico — the largest disaster package since the one provided for Hurricane Sandy victims in 2013.
The money would replenish FEMA’s coffers by roughly $18 billion, which lawmakers say is enough to last for several more weeks. That includes $4.9 billion in emergency loans to ensure the cash-strapped island government can pay its workers and other debts.
But GOP leaders have been clear that another installment of aid will be needed before the end of this year. Emergency responders from all federal agencies, from FEMA to the Defense Department, have been going quickly through their cash reserves in Puerto Rico’s worst disaster in decades.
And Democrats are saying that Trump’s rhetoric is not helping.
“The President of the United States’ most solemn duty is to protect the safety and the security of the American people. By suggesting he might abdicate this responsibility for our fellow citizens in Puerto Rico, Mr. Trump has called into question his ability to lead,” Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.) said in a statement.
Sarah Ferris, Colin Wilhelm and Heather Caygle contributed to this report.
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There are people in Puerto Rico who are drinking poisoned water because they don't have access to safe water.
Trump is disgracing our great country again.
I wonder how much the taxpayers have paid to clear storm blown palm fronds from the fairways at Mar a Lago.
Umm...try again! My business is 45 minutes north of there which at the time was designated as a disaster area, as well as the governor declared the ENTIRE state a disaster area.....please believe he has taxpayer money getting those greens trimmed! It's called FEMA reimbursements....(trust I know!)
It's my understanding that Trump has used every benefit from government that has been available to him for his entire life. He boasts about it. If his resorts in Florida can get govt. funding from the disaster they WILL take it.
What are Puerto Ricans doing to help themselves. Washington can't bail them out forever. Got any real and workable solutions? Trump is simply relating the Truth to them. Not Trump's fault the island was a mess before the hurricane, and will likely remain so, no matter how much material and monetary aid we give to them.
Thank you. My same question!
They have all the help they require now if they would work together. The locals could go up into the secluded parts of PR and bring supplies. Some of them have trucks. Utilize personal trucks like we did during our worst hurricane.
FEMA stayed in the N.O. area for about a year after Katrina. Do you think that many locals in Orleans Parish helped the clean up process? No. They just whined and looked to someone else to do all of the work. And, who was that someone else? The federal government!
“I have no intention of abandoning Puerto Rico,” Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson told a congressional committee. “They are a very important part of who we are.”
This Trump boot licker will do whatever Trump tells him to do.
With a smile on his face.
Saw the interview, the fact he made that statement was because the reporter cornered him. It took her 4 or 5 times with that one question about Puerto Rico before she could get a straight answer from him, and from the expression on Carson's face, he disliked having to answer it so much, he almost woke up during the interview.
Give it a watch (2+ minutes only), it is hilarious watching him trying to avoid the answer.
Lol - that was painful to watch.
They way he was squirming, your'd think someone had shoved something up Carson's butt, without properly lubing first.
Good for Trump most Puerto ricans don't pay income tax so they are not entitled to mine.
Trump doesn't pay taxes either. He's the world's greatest welfare queen.
Donald Trump has been a crook, fraud and conman all his life.
Trump made a career out of getting special interest tax breaks from local governments for his properties and developments. In other words, the taxes paid by people like you and Dean made up for the taxes Trump didnt pay. Happy now?
Thinking she had a gotchya moment.....oooops, Maddow proved your statement wrong.
You want it in Trump's own words???
No...we need examples of what you are talking about, and proof of it.
Nobody could have done what I’ve done for # PuertoRico with so little appreciation.
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Despite the Administration's defenses, Puerto Rico remains in trouble. Authorities now put the death toll at 45 , with more than 110 people still unaccounted for. Only 16 percent of the island territory's residents have electricity. Hospitals are running low on medicine , and a shortage of safe drinking water remains a concern.
And what is the Puerto Rican government doing for THEMSELVES ?
How come we NEVER here that part of the story anyway ?
Turn off Brietbart and FoxNews, switch channels, and you will hear about it.
Here about what ?
I even included your quote for all the "low information" readers. You need it highlighted???
I would like to see your answer to my specific question. Not some kneejerk talking point about fox and breitbart bad.
Show me your link on reports on how well the Puerto Rican government is doing for it's own citizens.
You want me to teach you how to spell, or just how to use Google?
Ya STILL....have diddly squat ?
I'm just a simple guy, so someone please explain these to me:
Trump is keeping PR in the news cycle, why is this a bad thing?
Trump is highlighting the FACT that an emergency response can't continue indefinitely, it is up to congress to debate a more permanent solution, why is this a bad thing?
That is too rational for liberals.
Didn't you know that Pres. Trump is out to get PR? /s/
You are attempting to apply your own definition (spin) to what Trump said. He is not trying to keep Puerto Rico in the news, he is trying to keep himself in the news. He would prefer everyone just forget about Puerto Rico.
OHHHHHH the sheer IRONY in that sentence. (That means you just did the same thing. Thought I had better define it since you typed the response and didn't recognize what you had just done)
No need to thank me. We are all in this together............................
Of course, why didn't I see that!!!!!!!.....that's why people tweet about stuff, so everyone who reads it will just magically forget about it. It's like some kind of Jedi mind trick I guess. Thanks for clearing that up for me.
I thought PR was getting help. Aint they investigating the corrupt Mayor's now?