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Trump dismisses criticism of Puerto Rico response as ‘fake news,’ spends afternoon watching golf

Trump said people who are critical of his response to Puerto Rico are 'ingrates.'

President Donald Trump watches the Presidents Cup golf tournament at the Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City, N.J., Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017.  (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
President Donald Trump watches the Presidents Cup golf tournament at the Liberty National Golf Course in Jersey City, N.J., Sunday, Oct. 1, 2017. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

Puerto Rico, an American territory with over 3 million people, is still reeling from the impact of Hurricane Maria.

As of Sunday, just 5 percent of the island has electrical power and only 14 percent of the nation’s cell phone towers are working. Large swaths of the island still lack drinking water. Most roadways are in shambles.

None of that, apparently, has convinced President Trump to change his plans. On Sunday afternoon, he took Marine One from his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey to another golf course in New Jersey. He’s there to watch The President’s Cup, a team competition between the best players in the United States and the world (excluding Europe).

On Saturday, after the Mayor of San Juan criticized the pace of the response, Trump attacked the people of Puerto Rico as lazy and ungrateful. “They want everything to be done for them,” Trump said in a series of angry tweets.

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Trump insisted that any concerns regarding Puerto Rico were the result of “Fake News” and “ingrates.” He especially bragged that “all buildings” had now been inspected.

The Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo A. Rosselló, had basically no idea what Trump was talking about. “I’m not aware of such inspection. Of course, there are areas of Puerto Rico which we haven’t really gotten in contact. Perhaps he was referring to a particular set of buildings. I’m not sure,” Rosselló said.

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The Washington Post detailed that Trump, holed up in his New Jersey golf course and distracted with the failure of Obamacare repeals and his escalating conflict with the NFL, failed to focus on Puerto Rico in the critical days after the Hurricane.

One week later, he’s back at the links.


UPDATE: Trump dedicated the golf tournament trophy to the people of Puerto Rico and others impacted by hurricanes.