Puerto Rico is once again in the path of a projected hurricane, and Trump is acting like getting hit by the storm is somehow its own fault.
Wow! Yet another big storm heading to Puerto Rico. Will it ever end? Congress approved 92 Billion Dollars for Puerto Rico last year, an all time record of its kind for “anywhere.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 27, 2019
Tropical Storm Dorian is gaining strength and projected to make landfall in Puerto Rico as a category 1 Hurricane. The U.S. territory isn’t completely recovered from the major hit it took when Maria crashed onto its shores in 2017.
Yet, Trump’ s claim that $92 billion was sent to the island to repair from Maria’s damage is false. Congress approved $42 billion to help restore Puerto Rico, but so far only about $20 billion has even been used.
The mayor of San Juan, Carmen Yulín Cruz was very critical of Trump’s tweet and all of its insinuations. In a CNN interview, she said,
“We say to the president of the United States, will his lie ever end? Will that ever end? Will his racism and vindictive behavior towards the people of Puerto Rico ever end? As you have said, this is not how a president behaves. This is not how a human behaves in the face of adversity. I have to thank the American people because once again, they have stepped up to the plate.”
“We are not going to be concerned by, frankly, his behavior, his lack of understanding, and it is ludicrious. 3,000 Puerto Ricans did not open their eyes this morning because this racist man did not have it within him to do his job. So get out of the way, President Trump, and let the people that can do the job get the job done.”
Like Mayor Cruz, people on Twitter were quick to call out the President’s ridiculous statement:
When you’re a storm they let you do it.
— Daniel Aguilar (@daanielaaguilar) August 27, 2019
first of all, you’re lying about how much aid Puerto Rico received last year. second, I like how you make it sound like it’s their own fault that a storm is headed their way. third, try not to let them drown in their own sewage this time, you crazy paper-towel-lobbing bedbug
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) August 27, 2019
Puerto Rico isn’t the only part of the U.S. in the path of Tropical Storm Dorian, The National Hurricane Center is projecting the storm’s path to take it to Florida’s east coast by Monday.
Governor DeSantis is already warning Florida residents to be prepared and “make sure to have your supplies read.” The storm may be a category 2 by the time it makes its way to the Florida coast.
Both Florida and Puerto Rico are urged to be prepared for storm-force winds, flooding, and power outages. Puerto Rico may also experience landslides.
Hurricane Maria was one of the deadliest natural disasters to ever strike the U.S., and the death toll estimates are over 3,000. There are still people on Puerto Rico living under tarps due to the destruction of their homes in 2017. While Dorian is not projected to be anywhere near that catastrophic, it is still a concern because the island is only partially recovered from the damages of Maria.
More at Think Progress and WESH2.
