During a joint press conference with Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, Donald Trump found himself addressing a national crisis in terms better suited to a reality show.
“As far as Puerto Rico is concerned, we’ve had tremendous reviews from government officials, as we did in Texas, and we have in Louisiana, and as we have in Florida from Governor Scott and … Greg Abbott. Great governors. And this morning the governor made incredible statements about how well we’re doing.”
We understand that it’s a disaster. A disaster that just happened.”
Where “just happened” means a week ago, plus the additional week or more in which it was clear Maria would strike the island. Then, after recounting the size of Maria, Trump went on to his new discovery—Puerto Rico is a, hold onto your hats, island. Plus more bragging.
“This is a thing called the Atlantic Ocean. This is … tough stuff. The governor has been so incredible in his statements about the job we’re doing. We’re doing a great job.”
How great? Greater than anyone, ever.
“We’re going to do far more than anyone else would ever be able to do. And it’s being recognized as such.”
And when asked about why he allowed himself to be distracted from the disaster in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands to make a speech followed by two dozen tweets about the NFL protests, Trump denied that it was affecting his great, great, better than anyone performance.
“I have plenty of time on my hands. All I do is work.”
When pressed over the NFL protests during the crisis in Puerto Rico, Donald Trump made his a protest of his own:
“I don’t think you can disrespect our country, our flag, our national anthem. To me the NFL situation was a very important situation.”
Trump went on to recount a recent visit to Walter Reed Hospital during which he saw injured veterans who were …
“Fighting for our country, fighting for our flag, fighting for our national anthem. And for people to disrespect that by kneeling during our national anthem I think is disgraceful.”
Apparently Trump thinks none of them were fighting for the Constitution. Which is the one thing every single member of the military swore to uphold on enlistment.
But mostly what Trump had to say was how great he is and how great everyone thinks he is and how great it is that everyone thinks he’s great. Trump went on to insist that the governor of Puerto Rico is “so thankful” for the great job the Trump team is doing on the devastated island, which was the start of a extended national bragging tour ...
“We did a great job in Texas, a great job in Florida, a great job in Lousiana. We hit little piece of Georgia. And Alabama. And frankly we’re doing … And it’s the most difficult job because we’re on the island, it’s on an island, in the middle of the ocean. It’s out in the ocean. You can’t just drive your trucks there from other states. And the governor said we are doing a great job. In fact, he thanked me specifically for FEMA and all of the first responders in Puerto Rico. And we’re also mentioning with that the US Virigin Islands. It was totally devastated. So we are totally focused on that.
But at the same time it doesn’t take me long to put out a wrong. And maybe we’ll get it right. I think it’s a very important thing for the NFL to not allow people to kneel during the playing of our national anthem to respect out country and to respect our flag.
Asked about diplomatic vs military solutions in North Korea, Trump responded.
We are totally prepared for the second option. Not a preferred option. But if we take that option it will be devastating, I can tell you that, devastating for North Korea. That’s called the military option. If we have to take it, we will. He’s acting very badly. He’s saying things that should never, ever be said. And we’re replying to those things, but it’s a reply. It’s not an original statement, it’s a reply. And the things he’s said over the last year. And if you look back the things he said to past administrations. North Korea is a thing that should have been handled twenty-five years ago, twenty years ago, fifteen years ago, ten years ago, five years ago, and it could have been handled much more easily. You had various administrations, many administrations, which left me a mess. But I’ll fix the mess. So we’ll see what happens with North Korea.
Before returning to thanking the governor of Puerto Rico … for saying that Trump was great.