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(CNN) - US President Donald Trump is already fighting Puerto Rican officials as a tropical storm moves toward the island, showing callousness to Americans who are still recovering from one crisis and facing another.
LOOK: 🌀 Look where Dorian is right now
“We are closely following Tropical Storm Dorian while heading, as usual, to Puerto Rico. FEMA and everyone else are ready and will do a great job. When they do, let them know and thank them. Not like last time. That includes the incompetent mayor of San Juan! ”Trump tweeted from the White House on Wednesday morning.
Later, he continued beating the territory government and praising himself.
“Puerto Rico is one of the most corrupt places in the world. Their political system is broken and their politicians are incompetent or corrupt. Congress approved billions of dollars last time, more than anywhere else, and is sent to Crooked Pols. It's not right! ”He wrote, adding:“ And by the way, I'm the best thing that has ever happened to Puerto Rico! ”
Trump's lack of empathy with Puerto Ricans has been unequal to the treatment he has had with the victims of continental storms in the United States during his tenure, which has led to criticism of racism, including by some local officials who defend his home .
Trump and local officials, namely, the mayor of San Juan, Carmen YulĂn Cruz, have consistently faced after Hurricane Maria of 2017 on funding, the president's derogatory comments about the island and more.
READ: Dorian is already a hurricane, how does it compare to Katrina and others like it?
Tropical Storm Dorian is expected to be near a Category 1 hurricane as it approaches Puerto Rico on Wednesday and could be strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane before it lands in Florida during Labor Day weekend.
Puerto Ricans prepare for heavy rains and strong winds almost two years after Hurricane Maria hit the island. Nearly 3,000 people died as a result of the storm and the aftermath, including widespread blackouts. Trump has always denied any lack of his administration on behalf of the storm. In fact, the president sought praise for his handling of Hurricane Maria, calling it "an incredible and unrecognized success" last year.
YulĂn Cruz criticized Trump on Tuesday while his city was preparing for another storm and told the president to "get out of the way."
“It seems that some people have learned the lessons of the past or are willing to say that they did not do good for us the first time and are trying to do their best. That is not the case with the president of the United States. Frankly, we will not worry about their behavior, their lack of understanding, and it is ridiculous, ”he told CNN.
LOOK: Dorian is approaching Puerto Rico and could bring sudden life-threatening floods
“3,000 Puerto Ricans did not open their eyes this morning because this racist man did not do his job. So get away, President Trump, and let the people who can do the job do it, ”said YulĂn Cruz.
Trump declared a national emergency and ordered federal assistance to Puerto Rico on Tuesday. Early in the day, he tweeted his surprise that "another" storm was heading to the island and cited misleading help numbers.
"Wow! Another storm that is heading to Puerto Rico. Will it ever end? Congress approved 92,000 million dollars for Puerto Rico last year, a historical record of its kind for 'anywhere', ”he wrote.
But more than half of those 92,000 million are based on the White House estimates of the costs that FEMA could incur in the coming years. Congress has appropriated 42.7 billion aid, with 20.8 billion forced to be spent by the federal government, and 13.8 billion actually spent, according to the federal government's disaster relief website.
Meg Wagner and Mike Hayes of CNN contributed to this report.
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