The Governor of Puerto Rico just threatened to punch Trump in defiant interview with CNN’s Jim Acosta

Donald Trump’s detestable treatment towards Puerto Rico will go down as one of the worst stains on his unimaginably grimy presidential legacy. His apathetic neglect of the island during the aftermath of the devastating Hurricane Maria tragedy which claimed the lives over 3,000 Americans on the island territory was bad enough, but now he’s pouring salt in the wound.

On Tuesday, Trump claimed that Puerto Rico has received too much aid compared to Florida and Texas, which also suffered from hurricane damage. He said that he opposes additional funding to help rebuild the island’s ravaged infrastructure and then doubled down on his heartless stance yesterday by having White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere state that the Trump administration “will not put taxpayers on the hook to correct a decades-old spending crisis that has left the island with deep-rooted economic problems.”

If anything, Puerto Rico needs far more aid to help get it back on its feet. These are Americans citizens as surely as those who live on the mainland and to treat them as anything else is utterly unacceptable.

CNN reports that top aides of Puerto Rican Governor Ricardo Rosselló were subjected to a disastrous meeting with Trump administration officials. Rosselló’s aides were told that they are pushing too strongly for a face-to-face meeting with the president to discuss the island territory’s dire state. So far, Trump has refused to meet with them, a clear and disgusting sign that he cares little about the suffering of Puerto Ricans, a fact which one can’t easily disentangle from his past flirtations with white nationalism.

“You guys have to f*cking stop with the meeting request,” said one Trump official to the Puerto Rican officials, according to CNN.

“Your governor is f*cking things up,” White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro reportedly said to Rosselló’s aides.

Now, Governor Rosselló is officially fed up with the Trump administration’s detestable behavior. In an interview with CNN’s Jim Acosta, he went so far as to threaten violence — or at least metaphorical violence — against the president.

“If the bully gets close, I’ll punch the bully in the mouth,” said Rosselló.

“Just like that?” asked Acosta with a smirk.

“Just like that. It would be a mistake to confuse courtesy with courage,replied Roselló.

His obvious frustration is certainly understandable given the administration’s determination to cripple Puerto Rico for generations by withholding much-needed funds. By failing to protect and help the island territory, Trump is betraying his oath to defend the people of the United States. Quite frankly, this issue alone makes a strong case for impeachment.

Watch the clip below.

Natalie Dickinson

Natalie is a staff writer for the Washington Press. She graduated from Oberlin College in 2010 and has been freelance blogging and writing for progressive outlets ever since.