Pence defends Puerto Rico response

Vice President Mike Pence defended the federal government’s response to hurricane damage in Puerto Rico on Saturday, saying that response teams are making “real progress.” 

“With leadership of @POTUS & @ricardorossello – @FEMA & Team Puerto Rico making real progress,” Pence tweeted at President Trump and Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello (D).

“Millions more meals & water delivered today. 51 of 69 hospitals taking patients, half of grocery/big box stores now open, 11 major highways cleared & over 60% of fuel stations open,” Pence continued, “much more work to do but as @POTUS has said to PR & VI: We are with you, we will stay with you, and we will come back stronger than ever.”

With leadership of @POTUS & @ricardorossello – @FEMA & Team Puerto Rico making real progress. Millions more meals & water delivered today…

— Vice President Pence (@VP) September 30, 2017

…51 of 69 hospitals taking patients, half of grocery/big box stores now open,11 major highways cleared & over 60% of fuel stations open…

— Vice President Pence (@VP) September 30, 2017

…much more work to do but as @POTUS has said to PR & VI: We are with you, we will stay with you, and we will come back stronger than ever.

— Vice President Pence (@VP) September 30, 2017

Pence’s tweets come after President Trump has faced massive backlash for his response to the humanitarian crisis on the U.S. island territory. 

Trump took aim at San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz in an early-morning tweet on Saturday, saying that she “and others in Puerto Rico” expect “everything to be done for them” by the federal government.

“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,” he wrote in a pair of tweets. “They 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.”

The tweets led to further criticism of Trump’s response to Puerto Rico.

The president maintained that the government’s efforts, led by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) were working diligently to aid in the humanitarian crisis despite what he claims to be inaccurate coverage by the “Fake News Media.” 

Despite the Fake News Media in conjunction with the Dems, an amazing job is being done in Puerto Rico. Great people!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017