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SHOCK POLL: Just Over 30 Percent Of Americans Approve Of Trump’s Puerto Rico Hurricane Response

Trump paper towel Reuters/Jonathan Ernst

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A poll released Wednesday suggests that Americans disapprove of the way President Donald Trump has handled the disaster relief effort in hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico.

The poll by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research shows that only 32 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s management of the continuing catastrophe in Puerto Rico, according to ABC News.

Meanwhile, 49 percent of Americans disapprove of Trump’s handling of the crisis, the poll has found.

The situation on the ground in Puerto Rico remains at crisis levels nearly two weeks after Hurricane Maria made landfall. Over 90 percent of the island’s residents still have no electricity — and government officials don’t expect a full recovery of the power grid until March.

Half of Puerto Rico’s residents still don’t have running water.

Some grocery stores are open, but shortages of basic food and sanitary staples are acute. Lines are long.

On Tuesday, Trump told Fox News that the federal government would have to “wipe out” the substantial government debt of Puerto Rico (a territory of the United States).

“You know they owe a lot of money to your friends on Wall Street, and we’re going to have to wipe that out,” Trump said. (RELATED: Trump Says Puerto Rico’s Debt Will Have To Be Wiped Out)

On Wednesday, White House budget director Mick Mulvaney contradicted Trump.

“We are not going to be offering a bailout for Puerto Rico or for its current bondholders,” Mulvaney said, according to ABC News.

Almost 90 percent of Democrats and 70 percent of Republicans say they believe the federal government is responsible for assisting in relief efforts when natural disasters occurs in U.S. territories.

The Associated Press-NORC Center poll was conducted prior to Trump’s visit this week to Puerto Rico. (RELATED: San Juan Mayor: Trump ‘Abominable’ For Throwing Paper Towels)

The poll, conducted from Sept. 28 to Oct. 2, sampled 1,150 adults in every U.S. state. The poll’s margin of error is estimated to be 4.1 percent.

None of the poll respondents were residents of Puerto Rico.

Hurricane Maria was the strongest storm to hit Puerto Rico since 1928.

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