ABC News(WASHINGTON) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday he plans to visit Puerto Rico, which has been devastated by Hurricane Maria, as he faces criticism over his handling of the growing crisis.
The president said next Tuesday is the earliest he can visit the island because he does not want to “disrupt the relief efforts.”
“Puerto Rico is very important to me and Puerto Rico- the people are fantastic people,” Trump said from the Oval Office. “I grew up in New York so I know many people from Puerto Rico. I know many Puerto Ricans. These are good people and we have to help them. The island is devastated.”
Ricardo Rossello, the governor of Puerto Rico, told ABC News that Hurricane Maria has caused the “biggest catastrophe in Puerto Rico’s history.”
So far, there have been 16 reported deaths in the aftermath.
Recovery has been slow. Only five percent of the island has power restored after the hurricane.
“If we don’t get unprecedented collaboration from the federal government here, this could collapse into a humanitarian crisis,” Rossello told ABC News.
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