Trump criticizes San Juan Mayor's leadership while golfing, Twitter is livid.
Early on Saturday morning, president Trump posted a series of tweets criticizing the San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz's leadership skills. His attacks on the Mayor came shortly after she criticized the White House's lack of response to the hurricane relief crisis in Puerto Rico. "I am begging, begging anyone who can hear us to save us from dying. We are dying and you are killing us with the inefficiency," Cruz said at a news conference.
Rather than taking the plea as a call to action or practicing any ounce of empathy, Trump hurled insults at Cruz, claiming her plea for aid was a partisan issue while simultaneously victim-blaming the residents of Puerto Rico for their own demise. To add to the cognitive dissonance of the situation, all of this was tweeted from Trump's golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey.
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People on Twitter were immediately blinded by a hot rage following Trump's comments. Beyond lacking any ounce of empathy (a trait the president clearly lacks) Trump had the lack of self-awareness to criticize a Mayor who is actively risking her own life to save her residents, and he did this all while taking a golf vacation.
Cruz refused to stoop to Trump's level, and reminded the White House that her original statements were made with the goal to save more lives.
Trump's callous response to the crisis in Puerto Rico also presents a stark contrast to his handling of the Houston-based victims Hurricane Harvey, or the Florida-based victims of Hurricane Irma.
Puerto Rico is U.S. territory, but that doesn't seem to be on the president's mind when contemplating aid efforts.
Other people on Twitter noted how Trump's obsession with Colin Kaepernick and the NFL protests has overshadowed prioritizing aid for Puerto Rico.
Overall, people are deeply concerned about the current administration's apathy towards the growing humanitarian crisis in Puerto Rico.
If you want to lend funds to the recovery process, the Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund was launched to help Hurricane Maria relief efforts in Puerto Rico, while also rebuilding the Caribbean islands hit by Hurricane Irma.