Alabama was hit by tragedy yesterday, as a string of tornadoes tore through the state, inflicting mass damage and killing at least twenty-three people. This morning, President Trump took to Twitter and for once offered something other than insults or petty politicking.
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He assured his followers that FEMA will be giving “A plus treatment” to the Alabama tornado victims. He praised the Republican Governor Kay Ivey, calling her “one of the best in our Country [sic].” At first glance, it was a rare, somewhat acceptable message from our infamously incompetent and cruel president.
FEMA has been told directly by me to give the A Plus treatment to the Great State of Alabama and the wonderful people who have been so devastated by the Tornadoes. @GovernorKayIvey, one of the best in our Country, has been so informed. She is working closely with FEMA (and me!).
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 4, 2019
However, when one takes a step back and compares the tweet to Trump’s behavior in the aftermath of the hurricanes that ravaged Puerto Rico in September of 2017, a disturbing double-standard emerges. After Hurricane Maria claimed the lives of thousands of Americans, rather than offer sincere concern or condolences, Trump blamed the island territory and its debt. He also decided to politicize the situation to attack Democrats and “Fake News” because they pointed out how ineptly his administration was handling the tragedy.
Texas & Florida are doing great but Puerto Rico, which was already suffering from broken infrastructure & massive debt, is in deep trouble..
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 26, 2017
The Fake News Networks are working overtime in Puerto Rico doing their best to take the spirit away from our soldiers and first R's. Shame!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
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Despite the Fake News Media in conjunction with the Dems, an amazing job is being done in Puerto Rico. Great people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 30, 2017
Sometime later, Trump sunk so low as to attack the death figure, presumably because the fact that over 3000 people died showed how poorly his administration prepared for and responded to the hurricanes.
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As if it wasn’t enough that Puerto Ricans lost friends and families to the tragic disaster, but they then had to endure the man sworn to protect them erasing and denying their loss by saying it never even happened.
3000 people did not die in the two hurricanes that hit Puerto Rico. When I left the Island, AFTER the storm had hit, they had anywhere from 6 to 18 deaths. As time went by it did not go up by much. Then, a long time later, they started to report really large numbers, like 3000…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 13, 2018
…..This was done by the Democrats in order to make me look as bad as possible when I was successfully raising Billions of Dollars to help rebuild Puerto Rico. If a person died for any reason, like old age, just add them onto the list. Bad politics. I love Puerto Rico!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 13, 2018
On top of the disturbing denial, Trump also waged a much-publicized war against Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz of San Juan because she dared to call out his administration for its failures. While she was busy trying to rebuild the island with her fellow Americans, Trump was insulting her from afar, undermining her efforts at every turn.
Given his long history of racist remarks, one can’t easily rule out the idea that Trump responded so differently to the tornadoes in Alabama because it’s a Republican stronghold full of white people. Many Twitter users immediately seized on the differences in behavior.
Trump tells FEMA to give "A Plus" treatment to Alabama while brown people in Puerto Rico were abandoned to sit in the dark and drown in their own sewage and yes please tell me one more time how this bigoted moron can't possibly be racist because a black woman worked for him once
— Jeff Tiedrich (@itsJeffTiedrich) March 4, 2019
FEMA: Mr. President, how should we proceed with aid for Alabama?
TRUMP: Give 'em the A Plus treatment!
FEMA: And how about Puerto Rico?
TRUMP: Let's shoot for a D Minus over there. https://t.co/fzgwpVgDTk
— Jules Suzdaltsev (@jules_su) March 4, 2019
Trump uses FEMA as a political tool to determine which Americans get the “A Plus treatment” and which get the Finger like those in Puerto Rico and California. Our country isn’t an airplane with first or second class citizens. All Americans deserve an A+ response after a disaster.
— Eugene Gu, MD (@eugenegu) March 4, 2019
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Earlier this year, WaPo reported that Trump tried to stop FEMA from sending any aid to Puerto Rico: "Trump told then-White House Chief of Staff John F. Kelly and then-Office of Management and Budget Director Mick Mulvaney that he did not want a single dollar going to Puerto Rico" https://t.co/n8hhmhILSw
— Roberto Ferdman (@robferdman) March 4, 2019
Alabama has an emergency: Trump wants to give them the "A+ treatment".
Puerto Rico needs FEMA's help: Trump throws them paper towels.
California is destroyed by wildfires: Trump tells them to rake their leaves.
It's almost like he only wants to help his supporters.
— Denizcan Grimes (@MrFilmkritik) March 4, 2019
Trump openly advertising the fact that he gives “A Plus” treatment for Red States that need disaster aid while routinely abusing and penalizing California and Puerto Rico. pic.twitter.com/AVLCWOURSx
— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) March 4, 2019
Whatever the explanation, the double standard is disgusting and inexcusable. The president clearly cannot be trusted to care about all Americans equally.
