Schumer to Trump: Why do you treat Puerto Ricans differently?

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Thursday asked why President Trump is treating storm-stricken Puerto Ricans differently from other Americans.

“Why do you continue to treat Puerto Ricans differently than other Americans when it comes to natural disasters?” Schumer tweeted.

Why do you continue to treat Puerto Ricans differently than other Americans when it comes to natural disasters?

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 12, 2017

Trump earlier in the morning warned that the federal response to the U.S. territory cannot last “forever.”

{mosads}”We cannot keep [the Federal Emergency Management Agency], the Military & the First Responders, who have been amazing (under the most difficult circumstances) in P.R. forever!” Trump wrote in a series of tweets on Thursday morning. He also blamed the island’s debt and infrastructure issues for compounding problems. 

Schumer shot back, saying the administration has to continue with its recovery efforts.

FEMA needs to stay until the job is done and right now, it’s not even close to done.

— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) October 12, 2017

Approximately 10 percent of the island’s 3.4 million residents have electricity, Puerto Rico’s government said Tuesday. 

The Trump administration was criticized for its initial response to the crisis, leading Puerto Rican lawmakers to beg the president to send help and provide basic necessities like food and clean water.