Trump comments sting in Puerto Rico amid slow storm recovery

<p>President Donald Trump's assertion that the federal response to Hurricane Maria was &quot;an incredible, unsung success&quot; is falling flat in Puerto Rico, where islanders are still struggling to recover a year later.</p>

News 12 Staff

Sep 13, 2018, 10:24 AM

Updated 2,049 days ago

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By DANICA COTO and ANGELIKI KASTANIS
Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) - President Donald Trump's assertion that the federal response to Hurricane Maria was "an incredible, unsung success" is falling flat in Puerto Rico, where islanders are still struggling to recover a year later.
An estimated 2,975 people died in the storm's aftermath when medical resources were strained beyond the breaking point, and for many, Trump's boast is hard to square with their daily reality.
Blackouts remain common, nearly 60,000 homes are covered by only a makeshift roof and 13 percent of municipalities lack stable phone or internet service.
San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz tweets that if Trump "thinks the death of 3,000 people (is) a success God help us all."
That reignited a longstanding feud between the mayor and Trump, who fired back calling her "totally incompetent."
(Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)


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