Donald Trump finally visited Puerto Rico, weeks after Hurricane Maria devastated the island, and it didn't go so well in the eyes of many detractors working in Hollywood and beyond.
MSNBC star Joe Scarborough said Trump sounded "completely ignorant of the situation," while CNN's John King criticized Trump for hosting "a love fest for him and his team," since he complimented the U.S. response to the natural disaster on multiple occasions. Actor and activist George Takei of "Star Trek" fame advised the president to "just stop talking."
Outrage over "Trump in Puerto Rico" poured onto Twitter Tuesday as the phrase became one of the top trends on the social media platform, after Hollywood stars, media personalities and citizens were bewildered by Trump's statements on the matter, starting with him comparing Maria to Hurricane Katrina, which crippled New Orleans in 2005.
'SNL' Fans Applaud Michael Che for Calling Trump a 'B-tch,' 'Cheap Cracker' Over Puerto Rico Response
View Story"Every death is a horror, but if you look at a real catastrophe like Katrina and you look at the tremendous -- hundreds and hundreds of people that died -- and you look at what happened here with, really, a storm that was just totally overpowering ... no one has ever seen anything like this," he said. "16 people versus in the thousands. You can be very proud of all of your people and all of our people working together."
After suggesting that Puerto Rico is facing isn't "a real catastrophe" (but then immediately contradicting himself in the next breath), he dropped this awkward, uh, joke of sorts.
"I hate to tell you Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack," Trump said. "Because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico and that's fine, we've saved a lot of lives."
Last, but not least, footage surfaced of Trump tossing paper towels into the crowd and telling them to "have a good time," while according to CNN, more than half of the island's residents (roughly 3.5 million) still don't have access to safe water and most of the island remains without power.
See reactions from Hollywood and beyond below.
I hate to tell you, @realDonaldTrump, but you've thrown our humanity out of whack. https://t.co/2mYtz3TzaR
@Alyssa_Milano
Probably the last thing people struggling to stay alive need to hear. https://t.co/ZFqmsqkIcU
@jessetyler
Donald, the disaster in Puerto Rico IS a real catastrophe and your budget issues are NOT their fault. How about just stop talking. Just stop https://t.co/SD6SeopGoD
@GeorgeTakei
What a fool. What an embarrassment. https://t.co/5jOOnACZpY
@billyeichner
A bad guy saying this in a movie script wouldn't work because it would be too on-the-nose. https://t.co/2YhopUNjJx
@kumailn
This dude just told people in Puerto Rico that Katrina was a "real tragedy" because more people died. I can't. pic.twitter.com/4aBlF2feMB
@Travon
.@POTUS lands in Puerto Rico and speaks about his favorite topic: @POTUS. Gives himself & team at A-plus! Now, about the desperate need...
@davidaxelrod
Trump to hurricane victim in Puerto Rico: "Have a good time" pic.twitter.com/ri3C8AdG6t
@JuddLegum
Trump just castigated Puerto Rico for “throwing our budget out of whack”
@chrislhayes
Trump just met with a family in Puerto Rico and closed the meeting by telling them “have a good time.”
@aravosis
Strong suggestion from Trump here that Puerto Rico is not facing a "real catastrophe." https://t.co/xaGcDhBjfP
@ddale8
"I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack," Trump says. 47% still have no clean drinking water.
@brianklaas
That's the kind of presser you call to celebrate the opening of a new hotel.
@BillWeirCNN
Meanwhile, 1.5 million Americans are drinking rain water
Trump is congratulating himself for (only) 16 confirmed deaths.
@BillWeirCNN
I heard many stories of desperate/cut-off people burying spouses in the mud
No way to get a real body count AND mosquitos are breeding + no roofs = Dengue fever, zika, etc.
@BillWeirCNN
Like Katrina, this is a slow motion disastr https://t.co/u7keTXLiky
Per pool: "Trump held up his arm and softly shot paper towels into the crowd, which they enjoyed."
@kylegriffin1
Trump: Officials should be "proud" Hurricane Maria only killed 16, compared to a "real catastrophe" like Katrina https://t.co/aZS9GvwR0I pic.twitter.com/vwntsm9uQY
@kylegriffin1
Trump in Puerto Rico
@TomNamako
—Diminished storm's impact
—Taunted island's bankruptcy
—Ignored San Juan mayor
—Basketball shot paper towels to crowd
Pretty stunning moment: blaming Puerto Rico storm recovery for the deficit? Also thanked every politician in sight except San Juan Mayor https://t.co/jeZJGunUo4
@mitchellreports
President Trump and his media allies are promoting an alternate reality about Puerto Rico... https://t.co/GvKUXB3hVw
@brianstelter
President Trump's bizarre behavior in Puerto Rico is more than cringeworthy. It reflects a lack of empathy & urgency that is deadly serious.
@RepMarkTakano
“You kooky Mexicans and your expensive hurricanes. This is Mexico, right?” https://t.co/s8XvsxYugO
@pattonoswalt
This is essentially a praise-fest by Trump before he's even seen any of the damage in Puerto Rico firsthand
@JessicaTaylor
We're not going to know the real death count for awhile, this is extremely premature https://t.co/V3VDMBUsAy
@BenjySarlin
"Whatever you do, Mr. President, please do not compare this disaster to Katrina."
@lisatozzi
Trump: Got it.
Also: https://t.co/ZwVA5EwjB9
Trump: "I hate to tell you Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget out of whack."
@lisatozzi
Trump: "I hate to tell you Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget out of whack."
@lisatozzi
I'm in utter disbelief at the obnoxious,self-congratulatory, press briefing Trump had in #puertorico. He compared death counts w/Katrina!!!
@TaraSetmayer
Hears Trump's remarks on Katrina vs. Maria... pic.twitter.com/2PB6CSvMp1
@ForecasterEnten
Trump event in Puerto Rico just now was more about helping Trump than about helping Puerto Rico
@JohnJHarwood
This feels a lot like Trump's cabinet secretary meeting over the summer.
@KatyTurNBC
Now Trump praises Puerto Rico representative in Congress for praising him: "you were really generous. I saw those comments" https://t.co/T3nxxIYNXb
@JohnJHarwood
Dear God https://t.co/Q3cWyAonkT
@RadioFreeTom
Historically speaking, it's always fascinating 2 remind myself that in my lifetime we elected both the 1st Black President & the 1st monster https://t.co/0zQc8F0C2x
@joshgad
The entire chimpanzee cast of #WarOfThePlanetOfTheApes would be better equipped to lead & have 90x more empathy. Paper towel basketball? WTF https://t.co/mFA3qYL848
@joshgad
