Puerto Rico is facing a variety of issues after the passing of Hurricane Maria. The hurricane left the American territory without power and without clean water or food. Now the Governor of Puerto Rico, Ricardo Rossello, is asking for aid from the United States in order to avoid what he is calling a “humanitarian crisis.” President Trump has recently given some attention to the situation in Puerto Rico.

He spoke on Monday and stated that he would be taking a trip to the region next Tuesday, with a possible visit to the Virgin Islands as well. The current uproar caused by the NFL players taking a knee during the national anthem has been a main focus of the President. This was much to the chagrin of many Americans and to a former senior official in the Department of Homeland Security (under Obama), Juliette Kayyem. She expressed her opinion on Twitter, stating President Trump’s delayed response shows “a lack of empathy of epic proportions...”

Puerto Rico needs the help of President's Administration

In order for Puerto Rico to recover, it will need extensive and lasting aid from the U.S.

Amongst the issues of clean water and short supply of food, the Guajataca Dam located in Puerto Rico has sustained significant damage. Governor Rossello told CNN News that the failure of the dam could put 70,000 people at risk. Although the evacuation process in the region is well underway, the failure of the dam will have a lasting impact on the residents of the area if their community is flooded more than it is already. The Guajataca Dam serves as a message for the status Puerto Rico finds itself in. If the territory does not receive aid swiftly, there may be a proliferation of issues.

Governor Rossello posted a tweet on Sunday thanking Congress for their help in ameliorating the situation in Puerto Rico.

However, many have criticized Trump for his slow recognition of the conditions Puerto Ricans are currently facing. Amongst these critics is Representative of New York, Nydia Velazquez, who tweeted, “POTUS’ action is too little, too late.” Some Puerto Ricans have abandoned the thought of Trump helping altogether, asking for aid from others involved in the political realm, like past presidential contender Bernie Sanders.

Hierarchy of issues

The main issue in question is not that the President is not giving attention to the crisis in Puerto Rico. People are concerned that President Trump does not understand the urgency needed in handling a situation of such magnitude as the population is in need of immediate aid.

For now, the conflict between whether or not NFL players are protesting by taking a knee or disrespecting America by ignoring its anthem, should not be a top priority. Posting numerous tweets on the conflict of these athletes has caused the U.S. population to question the President’s ability to prioritize issues.

Currently, the mortality after the passing of the hurricane is numbered at 15 found dead. However, as the cleanup continues on the island, this number may increase. On top of that, the mortality may also be affected by the lack of supplies and displaced peoples following the Category 5 Storm.