Briana Koeneman
Trump Tells Puerto Rico It's 'Thrown Our Budget A Little Out Of Whack'
After arriving in Puerto Rico on Tuesday, President Donald Trump appeared to joke about the cost of Hurricane Maria's devastation to the territory.
LEARN MOREPosted: 3:28 p.m. EDT Oct 4, 2017
President Donald Trump and San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz had very different views on how his visit to hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico went.
"He really has a communication issue. He's sort of like a 'miscommunicator in chief,'" Cruz said.
During an interview with MSNBC, Cruz criticized Trump's meeting with local leaders on the island as a public relations stunt.
And she called his decision to throw paper towels and other supplies into a crowd of Hurricane Maria survivors "terrible and abominable."
But Cruz was more positive about her meeting with White House staff. She tweeted, "They REALLY understood the disconnect between how things are supposed to happen and how they really happen."
Trump, on the other hand, told reporters on Air Force One on the way back to Washington that the visit was "terrific," adding, "We've only heard thank-you's from the people of Puerto Rico."
Tensions between Trump and Cruz have been running high in recent days.
Cruz denounced the federal government for its sluggish relief efforts and begged for additional aid.
Trump has repeatedly defended the government's response and said the mayor "has now been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump."
Puerto Rico is struggling to get back on its feet after Maria wreaked havoc on the island. As of Tuesday, only about 5 percent of the island's customers had their power restored. And many residents are still in need of food, water, fuel and other supplies.
