President Donald Trump is kicking up a renewed feud with officials in Puerto Rico who are racing to prepare for Tropical Storm Dorian, their first big emergency challenge since Hurricane Maria hit in 2017 and caused thousands of deaths.
Trump has declared a state of emergency for the island and assured that federal disaster officials are ready to respond. But he added a jab at local officials who have called the federal response to Maria slow and inadequate, and he singled out what he called “the incompetent mayor of San Juan.”
We are tracking closely tropical storm Dorian as it heads, as usual, to Puerto Rico. FEMA and all others are ready, and will do a great job. When they do, let them know it, and give them a big Thank You – Not like last time. That includes from the incompetent Mayor of San Juan!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2019
In a second tweet, he declared that “Puerto Rico is one of the most corrupt places on earth. Their political system is broken and their politicians are either Incompetent or Corrupt” and asserted that aid for Puerto Rico is “more than anyplace else has ever gotten” — an assertion repeatedly knocked down by fact-checkers.
….And by the way, I’m the best thing that’s ever happened to Puerto Rico!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 28, 2019
San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz tweeted back, saying that Trump needs to “calm down get out of the way and make way for those of us who are actually doing the work on the ground.”
I said yesterday that Trump needs to be quite, “calm down” get out of the way and make way for those of us who are actually doing the work on the ground. Maybe Trump will understand this time around THIS IS NOT ABOUT HIM; THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS; THIS IS ABOUT SAVING LIVES. https://t.co/uy5dZY9uwY
— Carmen Yulín Cruz (@CarmenYulinCruz) August 28, 2019
She said “THIS IS NOT ABOUT HIM; THIS IS NOT ABOUT POLITICS; THIS IS ABOUT SAVING LIVES.”