President Trump on Friday again weighed in on Puerto Rico's revised death toll.
President Trump on Friday again rejected the Hurricane Maria-related death toll in Puerto Rico.
"When Trump visited the island territory last October, OFFICIALS told him in a briefing 16 PEOPLE had died from Maria.' The Washington Post. This was long AFTER the hurricane took place," Trump tweeted.
"Over many months it went to 64 PEOPLE. Then, like magic, '3000 PEOPLE KILLED,'" Trump added. "They hired GWU Research to tell them how many people had died in Puerto Rico (how would they not know this?). This method was never done with previous hurricanes because other jurisdictions know how many people were killed. FIFTY TIMES LAST ORIGINAL NUMBER - NO WAY!"
Days prior, he defended his administration's relief efforts in Puerto Rico, telling reporters gathered in the Oval Office for a briefing on Hurricane Florence, "I actually think [Puerto Rico] was one of the best jobs that's ever been done in respect to what this is all about." Trump went on to mention that the "problem with Puerto Rico" was its electric grid and that the country "had no electricity essentially before the storm and when the storm hit that took it out entirely." He continued: "The job that FEMA and law enforcement and everybody did working along with the governor in Puerto Rico was tremendous. I think Puerto Rico was an incredible, unsung success." Not long after, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz tweeted: "Pres Trump thinks loosing [sic] 3,000 lives is a success. Can you imagine what he thinks failure looks like?" The casualty figure she referenced was made official in August and marked an increase from the previous estimate of 64.
President Trump on Friday again rejected the Hurricane Maria-related death toll in Puerto Rico.
"When Trump visited the island territory last October, OFFICIALS told him in a briefing 16 PEOPLE had died from Maria.' The Washington Post. This was long AFTER the hurricane took place," Trump tweeted.
"Over many months it went to 64 PEOPLE. Then, like magic, '3000 PEOPLE KILLED,'" Trump added. "They hired GWU Research to tell them how many people had died in Puerto Rico (how would they not know this?). This method was never done with previous hurricanes because other jurisdictions know how many people were killed. FIFTY TIMES LAST ORIGINAL NUMBER - NO WAY!"
Days prior, he defended his administration's relief efforts in Puerto Rico, telling reporters gathered in the Oval Office for a briefing on Hurricane Florence, "I actually think [Puerto Rico] was one of the best jobs that's ever been done in respect to what this is all about." Trump went on to mention that the "problem with Puerto Rico" was its electric grid and that the country "had no electricity essentially before the storm and when the storm hit that took it out entirely." He continued: "The job that FEMA and law enforcement and everybody did working along with the governor in Puerto Rico was tremendous. I think Puerto Rico was an incredible, unsung success." Not long after, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz tweeted: "Pres Trump thinks loosing [sic] 3,000 lives is a success. Can you imagine what he thinks failure looks like?" The casualty figure she referenced was made official in August and marked an increase from the previous estimate of 64.
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