President Donald Trump started off the weekend by calling out the leaders of the Puerto Rican government for having “poor leadership” skills in their efforts to recover from the widespread devastation the islands suffered after Hurricane Irma and Maria.
But San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, who Trump directly attacked in his tweet, is taking the high road after a few days of back and forth public critiques between herself and the federal government.
Cruz tweeted Saturday morning that the only goal is to save lives and said Puerto Rico “cannot be distracted by anything else.”
The goal is one: saving lives. This is the time to show our "true colors". We cannot be distracted by anything else. pic.twitter.com/7PAINk19xM
— Carmen Yulín Cruz (@CarmenYulinCruz) September 30, 2017
Trump’s remarks Saturday morning were likely in response to Cruz expressing frustration with the administration’s characterization of relief efforts in the U.S. territory.
On Thursday, Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke said the federal government’s recovery efforts in Puerto Rico were a “good news story,” a comment Cruz strongly combatted during an interview with CNN Friday.
Well, maybe from where she’s standing it’s a good news story,” Cruz said. “When you are drinking from a creek, it’s not a good news story. When you don’t have food for a baby, it’s not a good news story. When you have to pull people down from their buildings — I’m sorry, but that really upsets me and frustrates me.”
Trump tweeted Saturday morning blaming her and others and saying the hurricane recovery should be a “community effort.”
The Mayor of San Juan, who was very complimentary only a few days ago, has now been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
…Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help. They….
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
…want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort. 10,000 Federal workers now on Island doing a fantastic job.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
