Trump calls Puerto Rico efforts ‘unsung success’

Compiled from news services

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump heaped lavish praise Tuesday on his administration’s response to Hurricane Maria, a devastating storm that left nearly 3,000 people on Puerto Rico dead and the island’s residents without power for months.

“I actually think its one of the best jobs that’s ever been done with respect to what this is all about,” Mr. Trump said. “I think Puerto Rico was an incredible unsung success.”

Mr. Trump’s comments came as his administration is preparing to respond to Hurricane Florence, a dangerous Category 4 storm that is threatening to barrel down on North Carolina and South Carolina within days.

“Puerto Rico was actually our toughest one of all, because it’s an island, so you can’t truck things onto it, everything’s by boat,” he said.

Mr. Trump’s administration is still facing blistering criticism for its response to Hurricane Maria, which left nearly 3,000 on Puerto Rico dead, according to a George Washington University study. The island’s governor recently changed the death toll from Maria from 64 to 2,975.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz has been criticizing the Trump administration for a year for what she said was a failure to provide needed assistance after the September 2017 storm. sued them. Shortly afterward it was revealed by the couple’s lawyer than none of the donations remain.