Trump stays publicly silent on Puerto Rican earthquakes but has signed emergency declaration

The earthquakes have left roughly two-thirds of the islands with out electrical energy and 32 of the next temblors have been a magnitude four and above. On Wednesday, Trump accepted an emergency declaration on the US territory, authorizing the Federal Emergency Administration Company to help. A public well being emergency was additionally declared by Well being and Human Providers.

The White Home press workplace, which did put out a press release on the earthquakes, stated they communicate for the President when requested why Trump hasn’t stated something publicly himself concerning the catastrophe.

Trump’s public silence has continued despite the fact that he usually publicly feedback on pure disasters within the US and overseas.

Since taking workplace, the President has tweeted public statements on related seismic occasions in California and Mexico. He is additionally despatched ideas and prayers to these affected by tornadoes, storms and wildfires in Alabama, Ohio, Oklahoma, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Florida, Nebraska, Missouri and Tennessee. Most just lately, he despatched “love” to Australia because the nation battles wildfires.

Trump has had a fraught historical past with the US territory since Puerto Rico was devastated by Hurricane Maria in 2017.

Practically 3,000 individuals died on account of the storm and aftereffects, together with widespread energy outages. Trump has constantly denied any fault for his administration within the aftermath of the storm. In reality, the President has as an alternative sought reward for his dealing with of Hurricane Maria, calling it “an unbelievable, unsung success” final yr.

The President has indicated that Puerto Rico could not deserve the extent federal funding it has obtained and was broken earlier than Maria struck the island.

“Puerto Rico survived the Hurricanes, now a monetary disaster looms largely of their very own making.” says Sharyl Attkisson. A complete lack of (…) accountability say the Governor. Electrical and all infrastructure was catastrophe earlier than hurricanes,” he tweeted in October 2017. “Congress to determine how a lot to spend. (…) We can’t hold FEMA, the Navy & the First Responders, who’ve been superb (underneath essentially the most tough circumstances) in P.R. ceaselessly!”

Trump has additionally urged corrupt politicians on the island had been responsible for mismanagement of the federal funds and opposed sending the help to Puerto Rico a part of a reduction invoice final yr.

Issues between the White Home and the Puerto Rican authorities got here to a head when the White Home repeatedly declined to fulfill with Puerto Rican officers to debate what they noticed as dire circumstances within the wake of the storm. Puerto Rico’s then-governor, Ricardo Rosselló, referred to as Trump a bully and threatened to punch him within the mouth over the difficulty.

Rosselló had been embattled with allegations of corruption and resigned in July 2019 when Puerto Rico’s Middle for Investigative Journalism revealed messages Rosselló and members of his administration that had been profane and homophobic.

Rosselló’s risk to punch the President after Trump informed Republican senators that he questioned the knowledge of directing extra storm reduction support to Puerto Rico, although billions of {dollars} in funds have already by approved by Congress.

Puerto Rico continues to be ready for some $18 billion in federal support designated within the wake of the 2017 storms.

On Thursday, Home Speaker Nancy Pelosi stated “the continued withholding of funds appropriated by Congress to Puerto Rico is against the law and we name upon the administration to stop and desist that criminality.”

CNN’s Betsy Klein, Jim Acosta and Kevin Liptak contributed to this report.

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