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San Juan mayor fires back after Trump tweet about aid to Puerto Rico
Source: ABC News
San Juan mayor fires back after Trump tweet about aid to Puerto Rico
By ELIZABETH THOMAS Aug 27, 2019, 9:20 PM ET
As Dorian neared Puerto Rico, President Donald Trump on Tuesday made the false claim that Congress had approved $92 billion for the island after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
"Wow! Yet another big storm heading to Puerto Rico. Will it ever end? Congress approved 92 Billion Dollars for Puerto Rico last year, an all time record of its kind for 'anywhere,'" Trump complained.
In fact, Congress has allocated only about $42 billion -- and only a smaller portion of that has been spent. But Trump and the White House have repeatedly used the $92 billion figure -- based, they say, on a government estimate of how much recovery money the island could need over 20 years.
-snip-
In a phone interview Tuesday night, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz -- who has a history of sparring with Trump -- fired back at the president on CNN.
"The president continues to express lies because the truth really does not suit him," she said. "As you said, it's not $92 billion, it is close to 42 billion. It's close to between $12.6 and $14 billion dollars that have come to Puerto Rico and still, things have not worked appropriately."
-snip-
By ELIZABETH THOMAS Aug 27, 2019, 9:20 PM ET
As Dorian neared Puerto Rico, President Donald Trump on Tuesday made the false claim that Congress had approved $92 billion for the island after the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria in 2017.
"Wow! Yet another big storm heading to Puerto Rico. Will it ever end? Congress approved 92 Billion Dollars for Puerto Rico last year, an all time record of its kind for 'anywhere,'" Trump complained.
Link to tweet
In fact, Congress has allocated only about $42 billion -- and only a smaller portion of that has been spent. But Trump and the White House have repeatedly used the $92 billion figure -- based, they say, on a government estimate of how much recovery money the island could need over 20 years.
-snip-
In a phone interview Tuesday night, San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz -- who has a history of sparring with Trump -- fired back at the president on CNN.
"The president continues to express lies because the truth really does not suit him," she said. "As you said, it's not $92 billion, it is close to 42 billion. It's close to between $12.6 and $14 billion dollars that have come to Puerto Rico and still, things have not worked appropriately."
-snip-
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-repeats-misleading-claim-aid-puerto-rico-dorian/story?id=65220508
