Over the last week, Donald Trump has faced several hurdles in his administration dealing with the hurricane in Puerto Rico and the worst mass shooting in America history taking place in Las Vegas. Commenting on these issues was the president during a controversial interview on a Christian television network.
Trump on his rough week
In recent weeks, Donald Trump has been forced to deal with a growing number of incidents troubling the country and his administration.
It started last month in Puerto Rico when Hurricane Maria ripped through the island, causing damage that experts believe will take decades to recover from. Trump came under fire for his slow response, with those who oppose the president criticizing him for spending more time on his feud with the National Football League as oipposed to helping those in need on the island. When Trump did speak out, he was highly critical of the Mayor of San Juan, while making sure to highlight, on more than one occasion, Puerto Rico's debt to the United States and Wall Street. In addition, last Sunday marked the deadly mass shooting in United States history when a gunman unloaded hundreds of rounds into a crowd attending a country music festival on the Las Vegas strip.
These issues and more were discussed during a recent interview, as reported by Raw Story on October 8.
(Trump's comments on the Vegas shooter start at 2:35, and remarks about San Juan Mayor began at 7:30.)
Sitting down with former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee for an interview on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, Donald Trump elaborated on the above issues, but gave responses that have raised eyebrows. When asked what he thought of San Juan Mayer Carmen Yulin Cruz, who was found on camera helping save victims trapped in waist-deep water, Trump wasn't impressed. "We have the Mayor of San Juan, Puerto Rico, who didn’t attend meetings, who didn’t work with FEMA, who really did not do a very good job," Trump said, before claiming Cruz "did a very poor job" and was "not a capable person."
In regards to his remarks about the Las Vegas shooting, Donald Trump credited the quick reaction from law enforcement, but went on to praise the Las Vegas shooter 64-year-old Stephen Paddock, for his apparent brilliance in being able to carry out such a horrific crime.
"This was a sick person, but probably smart," the president explained, before adding, "he had cameras." The commander in chief elaborated further, noting that the police "got there so quickly" and that they "have to be given credit."
Next up
As Donald Trump continues to make remarks that leave many dumbfounded, he doesn't appear willing to change his tune anytime soon. Over the weekend, the president has once again lashed out on social media, picking out targets that range from the news media, to Hollywood celebrities, and even a member of his own Republican Party in the form of an attack on Sen. Bob Corker. With the pressure mounting, only time will tell how Trump handles his presidency moving forward.