San Juan mayor blasts Trump after he visits hurricane victims in Puerto Rico
AP Photo/Carlos Giusti
During a meeting with local officials, the president downplayed the extent of the devastation, saying the number of people who died in the hurricane was far lower than a "real catastrophe" like Hurricane Katrina, and ribbed Puerto Rico over its budget woes.
"I hate to tell you, Puerto Rico, but you've thrown our budget a little out of whack, because we've spent a lot of money on Puerto Rico," Trump said.
That didn't sit well with Cruz, who praised the administration's staff, but knocked Trump, dubbing him the "miscommunicator in chief" and saying he had a "lack of sensibility" for joking about the island's debt.
"It doesn't make you feel good," Cruz said, responding to Trump's comments.
"I think his staff understands now, and they have all the data they need, but I would hope that the president of the United States stop spouting out comments that hurt the people of Puerto Rico."
The comments were the latest in an ongoing feud between the two leaders.
After she criticized the federal government's slow response to the hurricane -which left millions of residents without water and electricity - Trump chastised the mayor for "poor leadership" in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria.
Indeed, when they met on Tuesday, the president reportedly ignored the mayor after briefly shaking hands.
Watch the clip via CNN:
.@realDonaldTrump shook hands w/ San Juan Mayor who told him "it's not about politics" Trump didn't answer then pointedly ignored her
- Andrea Mitchell (@mitchellreports) October 3, 2017
Mayor of San Juan: I would hope that Trump "stops spouting out comments that really hurt the people of Puerto Rico" https://t.co/n4fnOLYMEo
- CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 3, 2017
San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz on Trump's budget remarks: "It goes to prove the lack of sensibility" https://t.co/4MbQlqJ0UV
- CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) October 3, 2017
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