Trump Rates Himself A Perfect ’10’ For Puerto Rico’s Hurricane Response

While meeting with Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello today, Trump issued himself and his administration a "10" when asked how his "administration: reacted to the Hurricane that devastated Puerto Rico. During a presser with Gov. Rossello, a reporter asked, "Mr. President, between 1 and 10, how would you grade the White House response so far?" Trump replied, "I'd say it was a 10. I'd say it was probably the most difficult -- when you talk about relief, when you talk about search, when you talk about all of the different levels and even when you talk about lives saved."

Trump meets with Puerto Rico Governor, praises recovery work post-Maria

Repeatedly praising the work of the military and federal emergency officials, President Donald Trump used a Thursday meeting at the White House with the Governor of Puerto Rico to proclaim the disaster relief effort in the wake of Hurricane Maria to be a success, pushing back against critics who say much still needs to be done to restore power and other basic services. "I would give a 10," the President said, ticking off a list of efforts made by FEMA and the military in Puerto Rico, as he sat with the Governor of the island in the Oval Office.

Puerto Rico governor airs grievances before meeting with Trump

Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello, who will be meeting with President Trump later today, revealed that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has yet to restore power to his besieged island's electricity grid. "Apparently, according to the government of Puerto Rico, they have yet to execute on a power restoration contract to begin the restoration work, even the immediate work.

Trump has no plans now to visit California wildfire damage

President Donald Trump, who has made four visits to hurricane zones in recent weeks, isn't rushing to survey the damage from California's wildfires. The president has no immediate plans to visit the state to inspect the aftermath of the wind-whipped wildfires, which have swept through parts of Northern California, including the region's famed wine country.

Melania Trump Issues PSA for Hurricane Relief

First lady Melania Trump is encouraging Americans to take action in a new public service announcement following the devastating damage of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma and Maria. "The President and I have witnessed firsthand the compassion and commitment of Americans as friends, neighbors, and strangers continue to volunteer time and money to help one another following the recent hurricanes," Trump said in the video, which was recorded last week in the White House library.

President Trump’s tweets on Puerto Rico were beyond the pale

When it comes to President Donald Trump fulfilling his role as leader of the federal government, nothing he has said has been as awful as his Thursday remarks on Twitter that the United States might soon stop helping Puerto Rico - a part of our nation since 1898 - recover from Hurricane Maria. "Electric and all infrastructure was disaster before hurricanes," he tweeted.

Trump forgets he’s president of US territory

The Virgin Islands don't have a president; they have a governor, Kenneth Mapp, with whom Trump met 10 days ago US President Donald Trump has spoken about another US territory struck by hurricanes as if it's a foreign country. He said in a speech at the Values Voters Summit on Friday that he met with the "president" of the US Virgin Islands.

US House speaker vows to secure money needed by Puerto Rico

House Speaker Paul Ryan vowed to help Puerto Rico secure the money it needs to recover from the devastation of Hurricane Maria after touring the disaster zone Friday and seeing what he called the "dire conditions" facing many across the island. Ryan toured the island in a helicopter at the head of a congressional delegation and met with local officials and representatives of the Federal Emergency Management Agency for the first time since Maria swept across the entire island as a fierce Category 4 hurricane.

Claim: warmer oceans will boost hurricane losses 70%

From the UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT and the "data to date says otherwise, so why trust a model" department If oceans warm at a rate predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the United Nation-sponsored group that assesses climate change research and issues periodic reports, expected financial losses caused by hurricanes could increase more than 70 percent by 2100, according to a study just published in the journal Sustainable and Resilient Infrastructure . The finding is based on the panel's most severe potential climate change - and resulting increased sea surface temperature - scenario and is predicted at an 80 percent confidence level.

Border Patrol tests camera-toting balloon

The U.S. Border Patrol is considering a surveillance balloon that can be quickly moved to spot illegal activity, part of an effort to see if more eyes in the sky translate to fewer illegal crossings. Agents in Texas recently finished a 30-day trial of the camera-toting, helium-filled balloon made by Drone Aviation Holding Corp., a small startup that named former Border Patrol chief David Aguilar to its board of directors in January.

Hurricane-Battered Flood Insurance Program In Need of Funding

The U.S. National Flood Insurance Program, struggling with the costs of this year's record hurricane season, will run out of money as early as Oct. 23 unless Congress takes action. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, which runs the taxpayer-subsidized flood insurance program, "estimates potentially exhausting available NFIP funds the week of October 23," the agency said in a statement.

Trump lashes out at Puerto Rico as House passes aid package

President Donald Trump lashed out at hurricane-devastated Puerto Rico on Thursday, insisting in tweets that the federal government can't keep sending help "forever" and suggesting the U.S. territory was to blame for its financial struggles. His broadsides triggered an outcry from Democrats in Washington and officials on the island, which has been reeling since Hurricane Maria struck three weeks ago, leaving death and destruction in an unparalleled humanitarian crisis.