Trump says Puerto Rico relief hampered by 'big water, ocean water'

[GennGreymane]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administ...er-ocean-water

President Trump on Friday said the disaster relief effort in Puerto Rico is complicated because it is “surrounded by water.”

"This is an island, surrounded by water. Big water. Ocean water,” the president said during a speech in Washington on his tax plan.

The comments come as Trump has come under fire for his administration’s response to Hurricane Maria.

Trump has repeatedly cited Puerto Rico’s location as a hurdle toward a speedier recovery.

The storm devastated much of the island and left many of its citizens without food, water and electricity.

Critics have said the administration provided quicker and more effective disaster relief to Texas, Florida and other mainland states hit by hurricanes Harvey and Irma, a charge officials deny.

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) minutes before Trump's speech said the president should put the military in charge of delivering aid in the country.

The president said the U.S. island territory's massive debt has also made the response to Maria more complex.

"Ultimately the government of Puerto Rico will have to work with us to determine how this massive rebuilding effort … will be funded," he said. "And what we will do with the tremendous amount of existing debt already on the island.

Trump added, "We will not rest, however, until the people of Puerto Rico are safe."

"These are great people. We want them to be safe and sound and secure and we will be there every day until that happens," he said.

[Heladys]

These are great and important insights. So glad we finally have a politician ready to tell the truth.... awww shit I can't do that with a straight face.

[Xeones]

Oceans can stop relief efforts but won't stop him from trying to cause a nuclear winter.

[Heladys]

Oceans can stop relief efforts but won't stop him from trying to cause a nuclear winter.

Nuclear winter will freeze the oceans and then we can just walk over there and bash the NK with sticks! #TrumpThinking

[ge0]

It's so trendy to bash the President these days

[kail]

It's so trendy to bash the President these days

When has it not been trendy?

[Kujako]

It's so trendy to bash the President these days

Well... he keeps doing and saying really dumb stuff. Is acknowledging this trashing him? Should we just ignore his actions and give the president zero news coverage?

[Deleted]

It's so trendy to bash the President these days

It wouldn't be if he didn't so deserve all of it, all of the time.

[ge0]

Well... he keeps doing and saying really dumb stuff. Is acknowledging this trashing him? Should we just ignore his actions and give the president zero news coverage?

In an ideal world, being nitpicky and overly critical on every thing he does (or doesn't do) should stop. Want to have a constructive conversation? Offer solutions. Want to help Puerto Rico? Donate. What's the point of making fun of Trump for his lack of sophistication in describing Puerto Rico's geography? I think most rational people knew whatever his response was to the hurricane would be met with criticism.

It wouldn't be if he didn't so deserve all of it, all of the time.

Not sure I care what someone from Finland thinks about my country's leader.

[BrerBear]

In an ideal world, being nitpicky and overly critical on every thing he does (or doesn't do) should stop. Want to have a constructive conversation? Offer solutions.

One solution is replacing Trump with a President who can do the job.

[Jtbrig7390]

One solution is replacing Trump with a President who can do the job.

But that would require this fanbase to admit they fucked up....

[ge0]

One solution is replacing Trump with a President who can do the job.

Great. And who would that be? We had a bunch of awful candidates in the last election.

[Xeones]

In an ideal world, being nitpicky and overly critical on every thing he does (or doesn't do) should stop. Want to have a constructive conversation? Offer solutions. Want to help Puerto Rico? Donate. What's the point of making fun of Trump for his lack of sophistication in describing Puerto Rico's geography? I think most rational people knew whatever his response was to the hurricane would be met with criticism.



Not sure I care what someone from Finland thinks about my country's leader.

Nitpicky? Overly critical? What?

He has allowed people to die because he has refused to send the resources we have available until recently. My donations don't mean shit without the manpower to do anything with it.

That orange shit stain works hard to earn all the criticism he can by making the wrong choice when he can.

[Paranoid Android]

When Trump said Puerto Rico was surrounded by water did he say in it in a tone like he was breaking news to us for the first time.

[Xeones]

When Trump said Puerto Rico was surrounded by water did he say in it in a tone like he was breaking news to us for the first time.

They don't speak english why would we care about them?

Did you know they might technically be American?

[Paranoid Android]

They don't speak english why would we care about them?

Did you know they might technically be American?

Maybe I did not state it clear. I meant how like when he would say that; "Lincoln was a Republican" and other stupid crap that was obvious.

Sorry if I was not clear. It was <snark>

[Snorkles]

Nobody knew oceans could be so complicated. So complicated.

[Belize]

It's so trendy to bash the President these days

*looks back to Conservative media and talk shows during the Obama era*

Gosh, I don't wanna paint Fox News as hipsters, but I guess they were doing it before it was cool.

I still can't believe Obama put fancy mustard on his burger!

[Travis B]

Nobody knew oceans could be so complicated. So complicated.

You have to be Albert Einstein to figure it out.

[Breccia]

San Juan mayor: 'I am begging, begging anyone who can hear us to save us from dying'

I'm having deja Katrinvu over here.

The mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, sharply rebuked the Trump administration's efforts to aid the island in the wake of Hurricane Maria, and delivered an emotional plea to "anyone who can hear us to save us all."

"I will do what I never thought I was going to do. I am begging, begging anyone who can hear us to save us from dying. If anybody out there is listening to us, we are dying, and you are killing us with the inefficiency," Carmen Yulín Cruz said on Friday.

Cruz's plea comes as Puerto Ricans struggle to recover from the devastating impacts of Maria, after the storm slammed into the island nine days ago, leaving its millions of residents without power.

Aid has been slow to arrive to residents on the island, who are in increasingly dire need of food, water and medicine.

The Trump administration has come under fierce scrutiny from Puerto Ricans and lawmakers for not helping the U.S. territory quickly enough.

The U.S. Virgin Islands' congressional delegate and the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee on Friday called for an "emergency" Oversight hearing on the disaster response.

“Urgent action by our Committee now could help accelerate the federal response to the devastation in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands and make a measurable and significant difference in the lives of American families there,” Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and Del. Stacey Plaskett (D-Virgin Islands) wrote in a joint letter.

The president insisted on Friday afternoon federal officials were doing a great job with relief efforts.

"We have done an incredible job, considering there's absolutely nothing to work with," Trump told reporters at the White House.

"And a very big question is, what are we going to do with the power plant? Because the power plant is totally wiped out," he said. "There is nothing. The power grid is gone."

Cruz made headlines earlier on Friday after she issued a sharp condemnation of acting Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke's comments in which she called the federal government's response to the devastation "a good news story."

“Maybe from where she’s standing, it’s a good news story,” Cruz said. “When you’re drinking from a creek, it’s not a good news story. When you don’t have food for a baby, it’s not a good news story.”

She added: “Damn it, this is not a good news story. This is a people-are-dying story.”

Bolded for emphasis.