Puerto Rico's recovery efforts following Hurricane Maria are still ongoing, and the tension between the island's government and President Donald Trump hasn't exactly made the process any easier. After accusing San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz of "poor leadership," lightheartedly tossing paper towel rolls at hurricane victims while visiting the island and telling officials that Puerto Rico "threw our budget a little out of whack," Trump definitely hasn't made the greatest impression on the still suffering victims. Despite not picking up on proper social cues during tragedy, Trump said that, on a scale of one to 10, he would rate his response to Hurricane Maria a 10, HuffPost says.
"I'd say it was a 10," Trump said at a White House event with Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló. "I give ourselves a 10...We have provided so much, so fast. We were actually there before the storm hit."
Although the president seems optimistic about Puerto Rico's status, statistics prove differently. After the entire island lost power due to the storm, government data reports that about 80 percent of residents still don't have power over a month later, while 30 percent don't have drinking water. There's even a possibility that these figures are actually higher, as volunteer workers in Puerto Rico claim that the reality of the situation is much worse.
Gov. Rosselló didn't comment directly on Trump's rating, but when Trump asked him if the United States did a "great job," Rosselló said, "You responded immediately, sir...We recognize that there are some logistical limitations that we have in Puerto Rico...A lot still has to be done."
President Trump: “Did we do a great job?”
Gov. Rosselló: “You responded immediately” https://t.co/AxcGQtoR8v
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 19, 2017
Trump also stirred some feathers by saying that he believed Hurricane Maria was far worse than Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Speaking to reporters, he said, "It was, in many ways, worse than anything people have ever seen."
2 weeks ago Trump on Puerto Rico: not "a real catastrophe like Katrina”/ today: “I think it was worse than Katrina” https://t.co/DxMuEMXagy
— TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) October 19, 2017
In response to the president's thoughts on Katrina, HuffPost pointed out that while at least 45 people have died as a result of Maria, over 1,000 died from Katrina.
Although any chance of Trump lowering his own rating of helping Puerto Rico is likely slim, we'll have to wait and see if his administration continues trying to provide substantial aide.
