President Donald Trump drew the ire of the internet on Wednesday morning after he claimed that the country’s emergency response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico—where thousands of people died—an “unappreciated great job.”
The president made the remarks in advance of Hurricane Florence’s expected landfall in North Carolina and South Carolina later this week.
“We got A Pluses for our recent hurricane work in Texas and Florida (and did an unappreciated great job in Puerto Rico, even though an inaccessible island with very poor electricity and a totally incompetent Mayor of San Juan). We are ready for the big one that is coming!” the president tweeted on Wednesday morning.
We got A Pluses for our recent hurricane work in Texas and Florida (and did an unappreciated great job in Puerto Rico, even though an inaccessible island with very poor electricity and a totally incompetent Mayor of San Juan). We are ready for the big one that is coming!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 12, 2018
The U.S. response in Puerto Rico has been criticized since Hurricane Maria ravaged the island last year. In August, the Puerto Rican government estimated that 2,975 people died as a result of the hurricane, a sharp jump from the 64 people it estimated in December 2017, according to CNN.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also released a report that acknowledged its shortcomings in supporting Puerto Rico after the hurricane, as NPR reports.
The president’s insistence that the response in Puerto Rico was stellar not met well online.
“A Pluses” from who? https://t.co/Kw7pQakLx3
— Noah Antwiler (@TheSpoonyOne) September 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/mackstheknife/status/1039843042130309126
Puerto Rico lost 3,000 people in the hurricane. https://t.co/ailRAh4mgB
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) September 12, 2018
https://twitter.com/Bricker13/status/1039864546884833280
Uhh…An “A+” from whom, exactly? https://t.co/wAHYwadOP8
— E. Pluribus Unum (@OneThirtyGunner) September 12, 2018
This is some hardcore ghoulish shit right here. 3000 ppl died but all he cares about is precious ego. https://t.co/8TQ7IAO96r
— Mildred (@MildredPierce_) September 12, 2018
Imagine letting thousands of your own citizens die then complaining that they don’t appreciate you. https://t.co/g5B5Mw6iUY
— B Santa Maria (@briansantamaria) September 12, 2018
Inaccessible island? Are you kidding me? https://t.co/4ULh6ISx4i
— Delia (@DeliaCabe) September 12, 2018
Trump’s bashing of one mayor’s response to a tragedy came just a day after he praised a sycophant’s response to another.
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