Trump sees 'miracle' Puerto Rico survival ignores critics
SAN JUAN  Puerto Rico (AP) — Touring a small slice of Hurricane Maria's devastation   President Donald Trump  congratulated Puerto Rico on Tuesday for escaping the higher death toll of "a real catastrophe like Katrina" and heaped praise on the relief efforts of  his  administration without mentioning the sharp criticism the federal response has drawn.
"Really nothing short of a miracle "  he  said of the recovery  an assessment at odds with the despair of many still struggling to find water and food outside the capital city in wide swaths of an island where only 5 percent of electricity customers have power back. The governor of Puerto Rico said late Tuesday that the official death toll has been increased to 34 from 16.
In the heart of San Juan  in fact  a few miles from the air base where  Trump  gave  his  thumbs-up report on progress  people stacked sewage-fouled clothes and mattresses outside houses and businesses lacking electricity nearly two weeks after the storm. "Nobody's come " said Ray Negron  38  collecting debris in the Playita neighborhood.
 Trump  pledged an all-out effort to help the island while adding  somewhat lightly: "Now I hate to tell you  Puerto Rico  but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico. And that's fine. We've saved a lot of lives."
 Trump  said  his  visit was "not about me" but then praised local officials for offering kind words about  his  administration's recovery effort and invited one to repeat the "nice things"  she 'd said earlier.  Trump  also singled out Gov. Ricardo Rossello for "giving us the highest praise."
"Every death is a horror "  he  said  "but if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina and you look at the tremendous  hundreds of and hundreds and hundreds of people that died  and you look at what happened here with  really  a storm that was just totally overpowering  nobody has ever seen anything like this."  He  told local officials "you can be very proud of all your people  all of our people working together."
Air Force One brought  the president  first lady Melania Trump and aides to Puerto Rico  for a tour stretching through the afternoon. At least parts of the itinerary seemed drawn to ensure a friendly reception:  Trump  visited with selected families waiting on  their  laws on a street lined with debris  including tree limbs and corrugated metal siding.  Trump  posed for photos  asked the residents what it was like during the storm and pledged  his  assistance.
President Donald Trump gestures after arriving at the Luis Muñiz Air National Guard Base in San Juan  Puerto Rico  Tuesday  Oct. 3  2017.  Trump  is visiting Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Up the road in the upscale Guaynabo neighborhood  one of the fastest to recover  around 200 people cheered  Trump 's visit to a local church being used to distribute supplies. Many crowded around  him  for cellphone photos as  he  handed out flashlights and tossed rolls of paper towels into the friendly crowd.
"There's a lot of love in this room  a lot of love "  Trump  said. "Great people."
Asked by the AP what  he  has to say to people still without power  food and water   he  spoke of the generators brought to the island and said the electrical grid is being fixed.
"Again  the job that's been done here is really nothing short of a miracle "  he  said.
For much of  his  tour   Trump  remained focused primarily on drawing praise.
"I appreciate your support and I know you appreciate ours "  Trump  said. "Our country has really gone all out. It's not only dangerous  it's expensive. But I consider it a great honor."
Large-scale protests against  Trump   talked about in advance  failed to materialize by early afternoon  with only a few knots of people gathering around San Juan.
As he headed out from the White House to visit the island   Trump  told reporters "it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done."
SAN JUAN  Puerto Rico (AP) — Touring a small slice of Hurricane Maria's devastation   President [TGT]  congratulated Puerto Rico on Tuesday for escaping the higher death toll of "a real catastrophe like Katrina" and heaped praise on the relief efforts of  his  administration without mentioning the sharp criticism the federal response has drawn.
"Really nothing short of a miracle "  he  said of the recovery  an assessment at odds with the despair of many still struggling to find water and food outside the capital city in wide swaths of an island where only 5 percent of electricity customers have power back. The governor of Puerto Rico said late Tuesday that the official death toll has been increased to 34 from 16.
In the heart of San Juan  in fact  a few miles from the air base where  Trump  gave  his  thumbs-up report on progress  people stacked sewage-fouled clothes and mattresses outside houses and businesses lacking electricity nearly two weeks after the storm. "Nobody's come " said Ray Negron  38  collecting debris in the Playita neighborhood.
 Trump  pledged an all-out effort to help the island while adding  somewhat lightly: "Now I hate to tell you  Puerto Rico  but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico. And that's fine. We've saved a lot of lives."
 Trump  said  his  visit was "not about me" but then praised local officials for offering kind words about  his  administration's recovery effort and invited one to repeat the "nice things"  she 'd said earlier.  Trump  also singled out Gov. Ricardo Rossello for "giving us the highest praise."
"Every death is a horror "  he  said  "but if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina and you look at the tremendous  hundreds of and hundreds and hundreds of people that died  and you look at what happened here with  really  a storm that was just totally overpowering  nobody has ever seen anything like this."  He  told local officials "you can be very proud of all your people  all of our people working together."
Air Force One brought  the president  first lady Melania Trump and aides to Puerto Rico  for a tour stretching through the afternoon. At least parts of the itinerary seemed drawn to ensure a friendly reception:  Trump  visited with selected families waiting on  their  laws on a street lined with debris  including tree limbs and corrugated metal siding.  Trump  posed for photos  asked the residents what it was like during the storm and pledged  his  assistance.
President [TGT] gestures after arriving at the Luis Muñiz Air National Guard Base in San Juan  Puerto Rico  Tuesday  Oct. 3  2017.  Trump  is visiting Puerto Rico in the wake of Hurricane Maria. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Up the road in the upscale Guaynabo neighborhood  one of the fastest to recover  around 200 people cheered  Trump 's visit to a local church being used to distribute supplies. Many crowded around  him  for cellphone photos as  he  handed out flashlights and tossed rolls of paper towels into the friendly crowd.
"There's a lot of love in this room  a lot of love "  Trump  said. "Great people."
Asked by the AP what  he  has to say to people still without power  food and water   he  spoke of the generators brought to the island and said the electrical grid is being fixed.
"Again  the job that's been done here is really nothing short of a miracle "  he  said.
For much of  his  tour   Trump  remained focused primarily on drawing praise.
"I appreciate your support and I know you appreciate ours "  Trump  said. "Our country has really gone all out. It's not only dangerous  it's expensive. But I consider it a great honor."
Large-scale protests against  Trump   talked about in advance  failed to materialize by early afternoon  with only a few knots of people gathering around San Juan.
As he headed out from the White House to visit the island   Trump  told reporters "it's now acknowledged what a great job we've done."