U.S. President, Donald Trump, arrived in Puerto Rico on Tuesday to view firsthand the damage caused two weeks ago by Hurricane Maria.
Trump, who would overfly the island in a helicopter, said before departing the White House that conditions had begun to improve in Puerto Rico and commended the U.S. government’s efforts.
He said: “I think it’s now acknowledged what a great job we’ve done, and people are looking at that.
“In Texas and in Florida, we get an A-plus, and I’ll tell you what: I think we’ve done just as good in Puerto Rico, and it’s actually a much tougher situation.’’
Trump referred to the disaster relief efforts in the two southern U.S. states following recent hurricanes Harvey and Irma.
The trip comes just a few days after Trump and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz exchanged sharp criticism over efforts by the U.S. government.
Trump accused the mayor of behaving “nasty’’ towards him, blasted her leadership and claimed Puerto Ricans were not doing their part in the island’s recovery.
A day earlier Cruz slammed his administration’s aid effort as too little and too slow, saying that people were dying while waiting for help.
Cruz would meet Trump, along with Governor Ricardo Rossello.
Trump said roads are being cleared and communications started to come back, but he also said truck drivers on the island “have to start driving trucks and on a local level they have to give us more help’’.
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