Trump tries to gaslight Americans about his failures during Hurricane Maria.
The narcissist in chief is stomping his feet again, complaining he's not getting credit for his administration's botched Hurricane Maria relief effort in Puerto Rico last year.
"We got A Pluses for our recent hurricane work in Texas and Florida (and did an unappreciated great job in Puerto Rico, even though an inaccessible island with very poor electricity and a totally incompetent Mayor of San Juan)," Trump tweeted on Wednesday.
That demand for credit came after Trump complained on Tuesday that Puerto Rico last year had been an "unsung success" considering what a "fantastic" job his team did.
This would be like if President George W. Bush had demanded credit for the "fantastic" job the federal government did following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when 1,800 people died.
And Hurricane Maria, which killed nearly 3,000 U.S. citizens according to the latest estimates, was an even worse tragedy than Katrina. But in Trump's eyes, that's a triumph he deserves acclaim for.
“Success? Federal response according to Trump in Puerto Rico a success?” San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz tweeted on Tuesday. “If he thinks the death of 3,000 people [is] a success God help us all.”
Trump's attempted gaslighting over his administration's failed Puerto Rico relief effort comes as Hurricane Florence, a monster storm, takes aim at the Mid-Atlantic states this week.
And we've seen this kind of Trump pity party before.
Last October, stung by the relentless criticism of the administration's Hurricane Maria response (including wide mockery after Trump tossed rolls of paper towels into a crowd on the island), Trump posted an eight-minute propaganda video about the supposedly heroic work his team had done following the killer storm.
"Nobody could have done what I've done for #PuertoRico with so little appreciation. So much work!" Trump tweeted.
In truth, the Hurricane Maria relief effort featured the Trump administration wasting millions of dollars for equipment that never reached its destination, failing to deliver meals and supplies, and taking too long to send military aid.
All the while, Trump issued racist attacks against the victims and fought with the mayor of San Juan.
Americans know exactly what Trump did for Puerto Rico — and they don't appreciate it.
Published with permission of The American Independent Foundation.
