Days after Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, journalists have been quick to label the natural disaster as President Donald Trump's Hurricane Katrina.
Hurricane Maria caused widespread devastation that left more than 3 million people without power. Much of Puerto Rico's infrastructure was destroyed in the storm, stifling recovery efforts from reaching certain parts of the island. To compound problems, communications with parts of the island are still down, which makes assessing the amount of aid towns need more difficult.
Journalists criticized Trump for his lack of tweets over the weekend about the situation in Puerto Rico, with some arguing that Maria could damage his presidency like Katrina damaged George W. Bush's presidency in 2005.
https://twitter.com/JoyAnnReid/status/912388902429892610
If @realDonaldTrump keeps tweeting about the NFL instead helping his citizens, Puerto Rico will be his Katrina. It might already be. https://t.co/jY45aYgekf
— Evan Osnos (@eosnos) September 25, 2017
I haven't seen a single news report saying food, water and medical care on Puerto Rico "doing well." https://t.co/OPf6w44RuE
— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) September 26, 2017
CNBC reporter John Harwood pleaded that Puerto Rico needs "massive help" from Washington, D.C.
is it not obvious that Puerto Rico needs massive help from its government in Washington RIGHT NOW?
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) September 25, 2017
About an hour later, Harwood updated his tweet with information he received from a Trump administration official.
senior WH aide, responding to my tweet, tells me Washington's response to Puerto Rico IS massive with 10,000 federal workers now on scene https://t.co/OUI2P7J8fy
— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) September 25, 2017
The federal government has sent over 10,000 federal staff, including 700 FEMA personnel to help with recovery efforts in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
"While significant progress is being made, there is still a long way to go," the FEMA spokesperson said in a statement Monday evening. "As access to ports, airfields, and roads continues to become available, additional resources will continue to flow into hard hit areas."
The federal response is not enough for some reporters who are comparing the Trump administration's response to Bush's response to Katrina.
Some obvious parallels to Katrina here. https://t.co/XzCrRgaSy3
— Nate Silver (@NateSilver538) September 25, 2017
Focus on Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands--this unfolding humanitarian disaster will be your Katrina. https://t.co/iJSGwky2N4
— Soledad O'Brien (@soledadobrien) September 26, 2017
Ignoring disaster in Puerto Rico, where US citizens face death, shuld be @POTUS's Katrina times 10. Instead, nothing. THESE ARE AMERICANS!
— Kurt "Masks Save Lives" Eichenwald (@kurteichenwald) September 25, 2017
Puerto Rico = Trump's Katrina https://t.co/adrYCzKc3j
— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) September 25, 2017
https://twitter.com/JoyAnnReid/status/912179842656940032
https://twitter.com/zackbeauchamp/status/912375951383760896
Former Obama administration officials sided with reporters in their criticism of Trump.
Trump's racist neglect of Puerto Rico is threatening lives. It is time to start caring about the crisis there.
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) September 25, 2017
Remember: people like Pfeiffer and everyone in Puerto Rico don't think the current response is enough and we sld all tell the truth abt that https://t.co/CsxqaqzjEf
— Ben Rhodes (@brhodes) September 26, 2017
Dan Pfeiffer, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama, deleted a tweet he sent out that claimed Republicans and Trump were slow to help Puerto Rico because the island does not have any electoral votes in the electoral college.
https://twitter.com/redsteeze/status/912495077729107968
Two-time failed presidential candidate Hillary Clinton gave her advice on what the Trump administration should do to help Puerto Rico.
President Trump, Sec. Mattis, and DOD should send the Navy, including the USNS Comfort, to Puerto Rico now. These are American citizens. https://t.co/J2FVg4II0n
— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) September 24, 2017
The Associated Press reported on Saturday how federal aid began to pour into Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
Large amounts of federal aid began moving into Puerto Rico on Saturday, welcomed by local officials who praised the Trump administration's response but called for the emergency loosening of rules long blamed for condemning the U.S. territory to second-class status.
Local officials have praised the federal government's response, the AP noted.
[Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo] Rossello and other officials praised the federal government for planning its response in detail before the storm hit, a contrast with what Puerto Rico has long seen as the neglect of 3.4 million Americans living in a territory without a vote in Congress or the electoral college.
"This is the first time we get this type of federal coordination," said Resident Commission Jenniffer Gonzalez, Puerto Rico's non-voting representative in Washington.
Rossello also praised the recovery efforts from federal officials.
While media hasn't focused on #Maria, Fema and its partners have. 10,000 federal staff working to meet @ricardorossello response goals. https://t.co/Lg0rbVXWDH
— Bob Fenton (@FEMA_Fenton) September 25, 2017
Discussing with @FEMA_Brock and @TomBossert45 areas of urgent need to coordinate additional federal resources. #PRStrong pic.twitter.com/NKhUDqe5WJ
— Ricardo Rosselló (@ricardorossello) September 25, 2017