Trump says Puerto Rico hurricane response was a '10' but these numbers prove otherwise

A 10 out of 10? No way.
 By 
Sasha Lekach
 on 
Trump says Puerto Rico hurricane response was a '10' but these numbers prove otherwise
Trump thinks the Hurricane Maria response is perfect -- what? Credit: Kevin Dietsch-Pool/Getty Images

President Trump gave the federal response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico a 10 out of 10 on Thursday.

Yes. Really. He gave himself the highest marks for what has been a well-documented and tragic mess.

He said this, and other objectively inaccurate statements about the U.S. territory, with a straight face while sitting next to Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rosselló at the White House Thursday.

Here's his full answer to the reporter's question:

In no world is the U.S. government's response to the natural disaster perfect. Far from it.

Based solely on basic statistics from the Puerto Rican government -- in the words of the governor -- "a lot still has to be done."

As of Thursday -- nearly a month after Hurricane Maria made landfall on the island nation as a Category 4 storm -- these are just some of the grim statistics:

  • Only 21.6 percent of Puerto Rico has power.

  • 71.58 percent has access to drinking water, but this varies greatly by region. Northern Puerto Rico, for example, has just 37 percent.

  • Just 25.07 percent of cellphone antennas and 46.57 percent of cell towers are back in operation

The situation is so dire in some communities that some Puerto Ricans -- who are American citizens -- have resorted to drinking from contaminated water sources, including Superfund sites containing extremely hazardous substances.

Those are not 10 out of 10 numbers.

Mashable Image
Sasha Lekach

Sasha is a news writer at Mashable's San Francisco office. She's an SF native who went to UC Davis and later received her master's from the UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism. She's been reporting out of her hometown over the years at Bay City News (news wire), SFGate (the San Francisco Chronicle website), and even made it out of California to write for the Chicago Tribune. She's been described as a bookworm and a gym rat.

Mashable Potato

Recommended For You
How to watch Puerto Rico vs. Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic online for free
Sam Antonacci #10 of Team Italy slides

Jimmy Kimmel has a blunt response to 'Melania' documentary box office numbers
A man in a suit stands on a talk show stage. The caption reads, "Speaking of rigged outcomes, the 'Melania' documentary..."

Seth Meyers has strong words for the Trump admin's response to ICE shooting
A man sits behind a talk show desk. In the top left is an image of the president.

Jimmy Kimmel ridicules Trump response to ICE shooting: 'How stupid do you think we are?'
Jimmy Kimmel on 'Jimmy Kimmel Live.'

'The Daily Show' reacts to Trump's ICE shooting response
Ronny Chieng presents "The Daily Show."

More in Science

Trending on Mashable
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 4, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 4, 2026
Wordle game on a smartphone

NYT Strands hints, answers for April 4, 2026
A game being played on a smartphone.

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 3, 2026
Connections game on a smartphone

That wild 'Scarpetta' ending, explained
Bobby Cannavale as Pete Marino and Nicole Kidman as Dr. Kay Scarpetta.
The biggest stories of the day delivered to your inbox.
These newsletters may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. By clicking Subscribe, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Thanks for signing up. See you at your inbox!