President Donald J. Trump attacked San Juan, Puerto Rico Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz via Twitter early Saturday morning after she lambasted the President for the lack of federal Hurricane Maria relief efforts on Friday.
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
The military and first responders, despite no electric, roads, phones etc., have done an amazing job. Puerto Rico was totally destroyed.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
His tweets come less than 24 hours after the San Juan Mayor criticized President Trump on CNN, saying "We're dying here. We truly are dying here. I keep saying it: SOS. If anyone can hear us; if Mr. Trump can hear us, let's just get it over with and get the ball rolling."
The mayor of San Juan to President Trump: "You don't put debt above people, you put people above debt" https://t.co/ExMr6gTdmO
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) September 26, 2017
President Trump continued Saturday morning, praising first responders and trashing the "fake news" media for falsely portraying his handling of hurricane relief efforts as insufficient.
Fake News CNN and NBC are going out of their way to disparage our great First Responders as a way to "get Trump." Not fair to FR or effort!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
The Fake News Networks are working overtime in Puerto Rico doing their best to take the spirit away from our soldiers and first R's. Shame!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
Conservatives and liberals alike were quick to strongly condemn the President for attacking the mayor of a city struggling in the devastating wake of a hurricane.
Early criticisms of Trump on PR were unfair. Now he deserves everything he gets. Utterly disgraceful. https://t.co/1nuHa1JQkE
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) September 30, 2017
Puerto Rico was, for all intent and purposes, totally destroyed by category 5 Hurricane Maria. There are currently a myriad of causes and charities helping the beleaguered island, but some residents say they do not need money, but manpower and physical support.
WATCH: "We don't need money, we need help": Desperate Puerto Rico seeks assistance. https://t.co/KrAF8eI5wy pic.twitter.com/69lqYOWI4P
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) September 30, 2017
Admittedly, the President's comments are a bit unseemly during this emergency. One has to question the judgment of the President of the United States after he personally attacked a fellow public servant, when so many citizens have lost everything in a natural disaster and are searching for hope.
As former Red Sox great and conservative activist Curt Schilling noted, "These are Americans."
.@gehrig38 on Puerto Rico needing help: "These are Americans." pic.twitter.com/jIDgC0sQQV
— Fox News (@FoxNews) September 30, 2017