Trump scoffs at ‘ingrates’
Tweet storm defends Puerto Rico response
BRANCHBURG, N.J. — President Donald Trump on Sunday scoffed at “politically motivated ingrates” who questioned his administration’s commitment to rebuilding Puerto Rico after a pulverizing hurricane and said the federal government had done “a great job with the almost impossible situation.”
Trump’s latest tweets sought to defend Washington’s attentiveness to recovery efforts on the U.S. territory almost two weeks after Hurricane Maria struck.
San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz on Friday accused the Trump administration of “killing us with the inefficiency” after the storm. She begged the president, who is set to visit Puerto Rico on Tuesday, to “make sure somebody is in charge that is up to the task of saving lives,” and appealed for help “to save us from dying.”
On Saturday, Trump lashed out at Cruz.
Cruz said Sunday “there’s only
one goal, and it’s saving lives,” adding all she did “was ask for help.”
“I know the good heart of the American people and I know that when a mayday sound goes off, they come to the rescue,” she said in a television interview.
Trump, meanwhile, spent his Sunday afternoon watching The Presidents Cup at the Liberty National Golf Club near New York City as the crisis continued.
When Trump presented the trophy to Team U.S.A., he dedicated it to the people of Puerto Rico, Texas and Florida still recovering from storm devastation.
“On behalf of all of the people of Texas and all of the people of — if you look today and see what’s happening, how horrible it is. But we have it under really great control,” Trump said. “Puerto Rico and the people of Florida who have really suffered over this last short period of time with the hurricanes. I want to just remember them and we’re going to dedicate this trophy to all of those people.”
As Trump spoke, someone in the crowd accused him of not caring about Puerto Rico, using a vulgar term to make the point.
Trump’s weekend tweets have shown him to be contemptuous of any complaints about the U.S. response to the natural disaster. He has repeatedly blamed the media for what he sees as unfair coverage of the situation on the ground, where power is out and many people are without food, water and fuel.
“We have done a great job with the almost impossible situation in Puerto Rico. Outside of the Fake News or politically motivated ingrates people are now starting to recognize the amazing work” done by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the military, the president tweeted.
While Trump tweeted, White House aides continued to fight back against the criticism, emphasizing that there are 10,000 federal workers on the island.
“More boots on the ground in Puerto Rico helping Americans in need,” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders wrote on Twitter on Sunday.
Also Sunday, a day after a warning tweet from Trump, NFL protests during the national anthem appeared to be down in number.
“I know the good heart of the American people and I know that when a mayday sound goes off, they come to the rescue.” San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz