President Trump gave his administration “a 10” out of 10 rating for its efforts to help Puerto Rico recover from the damage inflicted by Hurricane Maria last month.
“I’d say it was a 10,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Thursday who asked him to rate the federal response. “I’d say it was probably the most difficult, when you talk about relief, when you talk about search, when you talk about all of the different levels.”
Trump said the pair of hurricanes that struck Puerto Rico in short succession created a situation that was “worse than Katrina” and potentially worse than any other storm in history.
“People are really seeing the effort that’s been put into Puerto Rico,” Trump said during a meeting with Puerto Rican Gov. Ricardo Rossello on Thursday.
“Step by step, it’s taken care of,” Trump said. “The people of Puerto Rico have a wonderful representative with respect to themselves in this governor.”
Trump said administration officials have worked to crack down on corruption amid reports suggesting local workers had not distributed some supplies, such as food.
“There has been corruption on the island, and we can’t have that,” Trump said.
The president noted representatives from the various federal agencies that have descended on Puerto Rico will eventually have to leave the island.
“At some point, no matter where it is — whether it’s Texas or whether it’s Florida — it ends,” Trump said. “FEMA, the military, first responders, cannot be there forever, and no matter where you go, they can’t be there forever.”
