On Saturday morning, President Donald Trump rose early at his New Jersey golf resort and tweeted insults at San Juan, Puerto Rico Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz, as well as insults to citizens on the American territory at large.
"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," the president tweeted. "They want everything to be done for them when it should be a community effort."
He went on to say that "the military and first responders, despite no electric, roads, phones etc., have done an amazing job. Puerto Rico was totally destroyed," doubling down on rhetoric that many believe blames Puerto Rico for their own devastation in the wake of Hurricane Maria.
In response to the president, many pointed out the apparent bigotry in Trump's comments.
"This is one of the most horrible, racist, despicable things Trump has ever said," journalist Shaun King wrote of Trump's comments alluding to the laziness of the Puerto Rican people.
Others pointed out that Trump's criticism of Puerto Ricans amid their suffering was an example of victim blaming.
"Trump is victim blaming Puerto Rico via twitter (they have no power so can’t see) at his golf course," artist Bryan Brinkman commented.
Read some of the best responses to Trump's attacks on Puerto Rico below.
Trump implied that @CarmenYulinCruz and her people are lazy. The racial undercurrent becomes an overcurrent. https://t.co/7rwynpN0rR— Jamil Smith (@Jamil Smith) 1506777845.0
"they want everything to be done for them" they got hit by a HURRICANE, for cryin out loud, and are STARVING & DYING https://t.co/aBdjChn0PD— 🌶 gauchess with the mostest (@🌶 gauchess with the mostest) 1506779590.0
👇🏼PROJECTION👇🏼 It's NOT poor leadership by San Juan Mayor to help those whom she serves. It IS poor leadership by… https://t.co/DJF9EUPobl— Dena Grayson, MD, PhD (@Dena Grayson, MD, PhD) 1506781694.0
Listen, I'm not saying that's what he's doing. I'm just saying that him doing that would look exactly like what we see with our eyes rn.— A.R. Moxon (@A.R. Moxon) 1506763230.0
Is Houston recovery happening totally on its own? Is Miami's?— A.R. Moxon (@A.R. Moxon) 1506764255.0
Trump is unfit for office. He's attacking the Mayor of San Juan, who is pleading for help to save her citizens, bec… https://t.co/7jq0CDqWHR— Brian Klaas (@Brian Klaas) 1506770807.0
Trump was victim-blaming from the beginning of this crisis - talking about how Puerto Rico was already messed up pr… https://t.co/i10dBggd5N— Daniel Dale (@Daniel Dale) 1506780003.0
trump has the biggest fucking mouth I can't believe this..puerto rico is WITHOUT POWER, FOOD, WATER, AND MEDICAL CARE, and he's playing golf— erin (@erin) 1506780436.0
To be clear, this is the mayor of San Juan who he insulted. She's using a bullhorn to find people. https://t.co/OsbcNKANLd— Denice Frohman (@Denice Frohman) 1506774411.0
In Trump's mind, PR workers are lazy ("want everything done for them") but C'ville white supremacist protests included "very fine people."— Stephen Hayes (@Stephen Hayes) 1506776115.0
The two mayors Trump has attacked during crises are a Muslim in London and a Hispanic in San Juan. https://t.co/IDdbSH6PvH— Daniel Dale (@Daniel Dale) 1506777003.0
Trump's attacks on Puerto Rico aren't xenophobic—Puerto Rico is part of the USA. There's another word for them.— Ben Wikler (@Ben Wikler) 1506779030.0
Let's note that mayor of San Juan is on the ground in Puerto Rico dealing with crisis while Trump is tweeting smack from the golf course.— Claude Taylor (@Claude Taylor) 1506780423.0
@realDonaldTrump President Trump, kindly show compassion for our fellow Americans. "Their" workers lack water, food… https://t.co/NeKpkElymc— Carol Dannhauser (@Carol Dannhauser) 1506779508.0
