Twitter users are accusing President Donald Trump of blaming Puerto Rico for the humanitarian crisis unfolding there in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
Instead of urging his followers to donate to Puerto Ricans in need, Trump decided to use the microblogging service on Monday night to comment on the island’s debt and infrastructure problems.
Texas & Florida are doing great but Puerto Rico, which was already suffering from broken infrastructure & massive debt, is in deep trouble..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017
...It's old electrical grid, which was in terrible shape, was devastated. Much of the Island was destroyed, with billions of dollars....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017
...owed to Wall Street and the banks which, sadly, must be dealt with. Food, water and medical are top priorities - and doing well. #FEMA
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017
With many of the island’s 3.4 million residents without power or clean water, many people online suggested Trump was blaming them “for their own misfortune.”
And they were quick to call him out on his comments:
This is so awful I can't even https://t.co/NoPKjgA2Dh
— John Podhoretz (@jpodhoretz) September 26, 2017
oh you wanted him to tweet about Puerto Rico? Well he did — and blamed Puerto Rico. pic.twitter.com/74BK3Smfhv
— Justin Miller (@justinjm1) September 26, 2017
Americans, Mr. President. Americans are in deep trouble. For God's sake, many of us have friends & family we haven't even heard from. https://t.co/OBglAjtR1D
— Mary Katharine Ham (@mkhammer) September 26, 2017
President Trump is means-testing Puerto Rico on Twitter in real-time. Play-by-play disaster capitalism. https://t.co/VTjhPuhJ9O
— Patrick Blanchfield (@PatBlanchfield) September 26, 2017
Really not sure how to read this other than Trump taking this opportunity to blame Puerto Rico for its misfortune... pic.twitter.com/KgpIPaYIk1
— McKay Coppins (@mckaycoppins) September 26, 2017
Master of empathy finally emerges from off his golden commode. Message: It's your fault, Puerto Rico. https://t.co/Fu2QUFM3tX
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) September 26, 2017
Jeez, “sucks to be you” wasn’t what anybody meant when they said you need to start paying attn to Puerto Rico, worst president ever. https://t.co/7057SNheJX
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) September 26, 2017
When people said you should talk about Puerto Rico, this is not what they meant https://t.co/ARMXHbH5sI
— Daniel Larison (@DanielLarison) September 26, 2017
INSANE for the president talking about PR's debts to "Wall Street" while 60% of ppl have *no safe drinking water*!!!
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) September 26, 2017
It’s not hard to see why Trump is totally disinterested in helping Puerto Rico. The man is a racist and PR is a Spanish-speaking territory.
— Charles Johnson (@Green_Footballs) September 26, 2017
So help them. Detached tone is weird here. You have massive power & agency. https://t.co/CC4Wvbftv2
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) September 26, 2017
?????????? Puerto Rico "doing well" ???????????? https://t.co/OPf6w44RuE
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) September 26, 2017
Here, in its entirety, is President Trump's 6th grade class presentation "Puerto Rico: It's A Shame, But Debts Are Debts." pic.twitter.com/Apw0VodiGq
— Mark Harris (@MarkHarrisNYC) September 26, 2017
DONALD FUCKING TRUMP IS MAKING SNIDE COMMENTS ABOUT PUERTO RICO NOT PAYING BANK LOANS. THE FUCKING GALL pic.twitter.com/yXnQ9Vml0s
— Andy Richter (@AndyRichter) September 26, 2017
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