Trump Blames Puerto Rico Devastation Caused by Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico

Laments ‘Massive Debt’ but Not a Word About the Human Suffering or All the Lives Lost

President Donald Trump Monday night finally remembered that Puerto Rico had taken a direct hit from Hurricane Maria, after suffering the effects of Hurricane Irma just days earlier. The island U.S. territory is not expected to regain electricity for four to six months, and is currently in the middle of a heat wave. 

“The devastation is vast,” Governor Ricardo Rosselló told reporters Monday, calling it an “unprecedented disaster.” The Governor is calling for more assistance from the federal government, and fears people will forget about the island of 3.4 million people – more than 21 other states – in the coming days. 

One of those people who appeared to have forgotten was President Trump, who spent much of his weekend, starting Friday, attacking NFL players who silently protest racial inequality and the killing of Black people by police.

That led Grammy Award winning singer Marc Antony to post this tweet:

Trump had not tweeted one word about Puerto Rico since last Wednesday – until now.

The President commended Florida and Texas for doing a great job recovering from their hurricanes, while apparently blaming Puerto Rico for the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria.

Puerto Rico, “which was already suffering from broken infrastructure & massive debt, is in deep trouble,” Trump tweeted.

“It’s [sic] old electrical grid, which was in terrible shape, was devastated. Much of the Island was destroyed, with billions of dollars owed to Wall Street and the banks which, sadly, must be dealt with,” he said.

“Food, water and medical are top priorities – and doing well,” he concluded, oddly, adding the hashtag #FEMA at the end.

Not one word about the lives lost – estimates currently go as high as 30 but likely could be even higher, and that doesn’t take into account that there’s no power.

This is how Trump thinks. He laments the loss of infrastructure, the billions of dollars “owed to Wall Street and the banks,” noting that that “must be dealt with.”

The lives lost, the homes, towns, cities, personal belongings, and so much more – in short, the human costs – those merit not a word. Just the buildings and electric grid and money, those are what he is sad about.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY2PNLnQlZc

Not one word either mentioning that the Senate has not acted to appropriate the billions of dollars Puerto Rico desperately needs to help them rebuild. Not a word about what he will do to help ensure the people who live in Puerto Rico are helped, are feeing supported – are supported.

In fact, Congress is not expected to even take up a relief bill until the first or second week in October.

Which elicited this tweet from “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda:

On Twitter, many were furious, many were curious.

Former Obama-era U.S. Ambassador to the UN, Samantha Power, posted this tweet:

The Daily Beast’s national editor had a similar reaction:

As did Esquire’s Charles Pierce:

They were not alone:

More responses to Trump’s strange, rambling, nonsensical tweets:

Former Senior Advisor to President Obama, Dan Pfeiffer:

MSNBC’s Chris hayes:

Actor and comedian Andy Richter:

More:

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