Trump is doing what he can for Puerto Rico

Recovering from disasters in these

semithird world areas is always troublesome. Rebuilding infrastructure damage is slow, impeding supply distribution. And Democrats, both on the island and on the mainland, already weighed in with their usual anti-President Trump and anti-Federal Emergency Management Agency narratives.

It’s misleading to blame outsiders for the problems Puerto Ricans now face. Most are selfinflicted, as was the island’s pre-existing debt. Years ago, I often needed to quickly refuel my plane at the San Juan airport. It was like pulling teeth to get ground crews out of their chairs or off a break. Some problems are endemic.

When floods hit Fargo, N.D., ambitious locals cleaned up the mess and even prepared for future floods without waiting for outside help. We can only hope Puerto Rico will continue to emulate that example. Richard Doyle

Forest Lake, Minn.