President Donald Trump attacked Democrats, the news media, and the mayor of San Juan Saturday as Puerto Rico struggles to recover from Hurricane Maria.
“The Mayor of San Juan, who was very complimentary only a few days ago, has now been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump,” Trump tweeted. He went on to write several more tweets, with some including attacks on the “fake news media.”
…Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help. They….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
…want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort. 10,000 Federal workers now on Island doing a fantastic job.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
The military and first responders, despite no electric, roads, phones etc., have done an amazing job. Puerto Rico was totally destroyed.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
Fake News CNN and NBC are going out of their way to disparage our great First Responders as a way to “get Trump.” Not fair to FR or effort!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
The Fake News Networks are working overtime in Puerto Rico doing their best to take the spirit away from our soldiers and first R’s. Shame!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
Despite the Fake News Media in conjunction with the Dems, an amazing job is being done in Puerto Rico. Great people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
Many in Puerto Rico, an American territory, still lack running water, electricity and food since Maria struck the island over a week ago. Over 10,000 federal relief workers are on the island, and Puerto Rico’s governor has praised the federal government’s relief efforts.
The Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rossello, is a great guy and leader who is really working hard. Thank you Ricky!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
However, as Trump tweeted, the president has received sharp criticism in the press and from the mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico’s largest city.
“We are dying, and you are killing us with the inefficiency and the bureaucracy,” Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz said Friday. “I am done being politically correct. I am mad as hell.”
The mayor said in a Saturday interview that she didn’t mean to say anything “nasty” about Trump.
“Gen. Buchanan, a three-star general, has said that he doesn’t have enough troops and he doesn’t have enough equipment,” Yulin Cruz said on MSNBC. “So who am I? I’m just a little mayor from the capital of San Juan. This is a three-star general saying he doesn’t have the appropriate amount of tools.”
Army Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Buchanan was named Thursday as the commander overseeing relief efforts. He pushed back against criticism in a Friday interview that his deployment was a symbolic one after a failed response from the federal government.
“That’s absolutely inaccurate,” Buchanan told U.S. News. “It’s certainly not a symbolic thing. As the land component commander, we’re now shifting to a more land-based response, so it’s appropriate that my command is appointed command for it.”
Thousands of cargo containers have been sent to Puerto Rico filled with supplies and food, however, blocked roads and a lack of truck drivers have made it difficult to distribute the goods.
Eighteen people have been confirmed dead in Puerto Rico as a result of Hurricane Maria.